Ons Jabeur lost out on last year’s Wimbledon title to Kazakh Elena RybakinaVenue: All England Club Dates: 3-16 JulyCoverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. More coverage details here.
Last year’s runner-up Ons Jabeur fought back to beat Bianca Andreescu and set up a fourth round meeting with two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
The Tunisian sixth seed came through 3-6 6-3 6-4 against the Canadian after a lengthy rain delay on Centre Court.
Earlier, Kvitova beat Serbian qualifier Natalija Stevanovic 6-3 7-5.
Also through is Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who beat Anna Blinkova 6-2 6-3, while defending champion Elena Rybakina beat Britain’s Katie Boulter.
Jabeur had made light work of her first two opponents at SW19, dropping just eight games as she cruised through to the third round.
She has already made history at the All England Club, becoming the first Arab player to reach a Grand Slam final last year before going on to match that achievement at the 2022 US Open.
But, in Jabeur’s first match on Centre Court since her final loss to Elena Rybakina last year, Andreescu proved a stern test.
Jabeur looked uncomfortable from the opening exchanges against the 2019 US Open champion Andreescu, sending simple shots out of bounds and turning to shout at her team in exasperation as she gave away the first set.
The momentum shifted on a call of out at 2-2 in the second set – Andreescu challenged the decision but, after seeing Jabeur’s reaction, cancelled it before it went to the replay.
Television replays showed the ball had indeed clipped the line. It could have been a turning point for Andreescu but instead, Jabeur seized control of the second set and forced a decider.
But, with the score poised at 3-2 after Jabeur had forced the deciding set back on serve, rain led to play stopping as the roof closed.
Jabeur returned from the near 50-minute break the better and secured a crucial break as Andreescu’s nerves got the better of her, with Jabeur then able to capitalise and serve out the match.
After the defeat, Andreescu said she hopes Jabeur, a popular player on the WTA Tour, goes on to do well in the tournament.
“If I had to choose a player to lose to, it would be Ons,” Andreescu said. “She’s very nice and smiley. She’s just great.”
Kvitova looking forward to playing ‘great person’ Jabeur
Kvitova won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014 and reached the final of the Australian Open in 2019
After sealing her place in the fourth round for just the second time since winning the title in 2014, Kvitova said she is looking forward to playing Jabeur.
“We always have fun in the locker room. It will be great to play her,” said the Czech ninth seed.
“She can change the game pretty quickly. She is a great person – it’s nice to see her doing well.”
In five meetings Jabeur has only beaten Kvitova once – on the Sydney hard courts in 2022 – and the Tunisian said she wants to “go for revenge”.
“She’s an amazing player. I need to be focused and believe more in myself that I can beat someone like Petra,” she added.
Kvitova, 33, dominated the first set against Stevanovic before the Serb fought back in the second, with the qualifier leading 5-4 just as the rain arrived and the covers went on at the All England Club.
When play resumed, Kvitova broke to love and consolidated by serving out the match, executing the quality on grass that saw her win the Berlin Open in the build-up to Wimbledon.
Despite this, Kvitova said she does not see herself as one of the favourites for the title.
“I think all the big names are still going through and playing deep in the tournament,” she said.
“I don’t really care about the favourites anymore. I’m happy to be in the second week, first time after 2014.
“This is already a big achievement for me.”
Sabalenka seals another dominant win
Sabalenka, who had to come from behind to win her previous match against Varvara Gracheva, was in no mood to make things difficult this time around as she raced to a 3-0 lead against Blinkova, breaking the Russian to love in her opening service game.
Blinkova, who had matched her previous best Grand Slam showing by reaching this stage, was not much of a challenge to Sabalenka, who racked up 30 winners under the roof on Court One.
She sealed victory with her ninth ace to set up a fourth-round encounter against another Russian, Ekaterina Alexandrova, who beat Dalma Galfi 6-0 6-4.
Meanwhile, Brazilian 13th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia progressed to the fourth round at SW19 for the first time with a 6-2 6-2 win over Romanian 37th seed Sorana Cirstea while American Madison Keys progressed with a 6-4 6-1 win over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk.
Elsewhere, fourth seed Jessica Pegula has pulled out of the mixed doubles, which she was due to play with fellow American Austin Krajicek, with a back injury.
Pegula is set to face Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko on Sunday in her third-round singles match.