London, June 30 . Former Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur broke down in tears and was forced to retire from her first-round match against Viktoriya Tomova just 26 minutes into play at Court 14, in a distressing start to her 2025 campaign today.
The Tunisian, who finished as runner-up in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the tournament, appeared visibly shaken during the match. At 2-2 in the first set, Jabeur saved nine game points in a gruelling 10-minute game but ultimately lost the battle to trail 3-2.
She returned to her seat and buried her face in a towel, unable to hold back her emotions.
A medical timeout was immediately called. Medics assessed her blood pressure and other vital signs before escorting her off the court. After a 14-minute break, Jabeur returned and managed to finish the first set, which she lost 7-6. However, trailing 2-0 in the second set, she retired from the match.
Though the specific reason for the breakdown remains unclear, many speculate that the unusually high temperatures—reaching up to 34 degrees Celsius, a record for the Wimbledon opening day, could have contributed to the incident. The sweltering humidity has also raised broader concerns among players and fans.
Jabeur has been candid in recent interviews about her emotional burden, especially following back-to-back final losses at the All England Club to Elena Rybakina and Marketa Vondrousova.
Jabeur’s early exit marks a difficult setback in her ongoing efforts to reclaim form and confidence after a year marred by physical and mental battles. Her next steps remain uncertain as fans hope the 29-year-old finds space to recover.
The match concluded with Tomova advancing to the second round.
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