Ons Jabeur auctions historic Wimbledon racquet to raise funds for Tunisia's Covid fight


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Ons Jabeur has announced that she is auctioning off one of her tennis racquets from her historic Wimbledon campaign to raise funds to help her native Tunisia in the fight against Covid-19.

Jabeur, 26, last week became the first Arab woman to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals. She will add a personal donation to the amount collected during the sale of her racquet, and said money raised would be used to buy "drugs and medical equipment".

"It is for a good cause," Jabeur said on Instagram. "I cannot stay here to watch my country go through difficult situations."

The racquet, which Jabeur used in her Wimbledon victories over Venus Williams, Garbine Muguruza and Iga Swiatek in the second, third, and fourth rounds respectively went on sale on Monday for 2,000 dinars ($720).

The auction will last 48 hours with Jabeur hoping to raise enough to fund a resuscitation bed which costs in the region of 30,000 dinars.

Tunisia is facing a record number of Covid-19 cases with public hospitals facing an unprecedented influx of patients.

Tunisia, which has the "highest" Covid-19 death rate in the region according to the World Health Organization, is currently at more than 16,000 deaths for 12 million inhabitants.

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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

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Sand storm

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  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
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  • Travel distance: Limited 
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Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

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Updated: July 13, 2021, 4:35 AM`