Ons Jabeur advanced to her third Grand Slam final on Thursday with a superb victory over second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The Tunisian trailed a set and a break but fought back to win 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 to become the first female player since Serena Williams in 2019 to reach successive Wimbledon finals.
Jabeur will face Marketa Vondrousova in the final on Saturday after the Czech eased past Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in the earlier semi-final.
Sixth-seed Jabeur will be the favourite to win her first major title against a player who, until this year's Wimbledon, never showed any form on grass, but Vondrousova has already beaten Jabeur twice this year including at the Australian Open.
So what does Jabeur need to do to ensure she lifts the Venus Rosewater dish on Saturday and become the first Arab or African woman to win a major title?
Keep doing what she's doing
It may seem oversimplified but Jabeur has got to this stage, and eliminated a string of top rivals, by sticking to a clear and effective game plan. She has not been drawn into slugging matches against more powerful players, instead relying on her ability to move the ball around the court and disrupt her opponents' rhythm.
Vondrousova is another player with power but having blunted the weapons of Petra Kvitova, Elena Rybakina, and Sabalenka – arguably the three most effective power players on the tour – Jabeur's game plan should be highly refined heading into the final. She must make sure not to abandon that strategy as the pressure intensifies.
Maintain focus
In her on-court interview after defeating Sabalenka, Jabeur spoke of the "old me" who would likely have lost the match when trailing by a set and a break as frustration and anger set in. But the new Jabeur, as she said, "dug deep" to find a way out before sealing a remarkable victory.
That level of focus and concentration must remain in the final, particularly if adversity arises and Jabeur finds herself in another challenging situation; likewise if Jabeur is in a position of strength and closing in on the title – staying in the zone will help alleviate the inevitable nerves.
Use her experience to her advantage
Jabeur, 28, will be playing in her third final from the last five Grand Slam tournaments, and second at Wimbledon in as many years. She has been here before and recently; she knows how it all works, the unique pressure and spotlight and how to handle such challenges.
Additionally, Jabeur has more grass court experience than almost any other player on the WTA Tour.
Vondrousova has her own Grand Slam final experience having reached the title match at the 2019 French Open but had never gone beyond the second round at Wimbledon before. In fact, the Czech had previously only won one match at the All England Club and had been dealing with long-term injury prior to this season.
Jabeur needs to use that experience to her advantage and be aware that Vondrousova is likely to be feeling the nerves a lot more.
Harness the power of the crowd
Jabeur has long established herself as a firm fan favourite at Wimbledon, and indeed across the tennis globe. The All England Club crowd have been getting right behind the Tunisian in every round and she is expected to receive the large majority of support on Saturday.
Jabeur often speaks of the energy she draws from the crowd, and as one of the sport's great entertainers, the sixth seed will want to once again harness the power from the supporters to give herself an extra edge and apply the pressure on Vondrousova.
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
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If you go…
Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.
Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
ENGLAND SQUAD
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
