World No 2 Ons Jabeur has signed up to play in Charleston, according to Michal Samulski. Jabeur, 28, will be making her fifth appearance on the clay courts of Charleston next year. Jabeur made her Charleston debut in 2017, when she as a qualifier made the round-of-16 before losing to Anastasija Sevastova.
After picking up a Charleston first-round exit in 2018, Jabeur made her first deep Charleston run in 2021, when she reached the semifinal before losing to Danka Kovinic. This year, Jabeur went a step further in Charleston as she made the final before losing to Belinda Bencic.
In 2023, the Charleston organizers are preparing for another big edition as Jabeur, Bencic, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens are all expected to play.
Ons Jabeur joins Jessica Pegula, Paula Badosa, Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens to play WTA500 Charleston, April 1-9.
— Michal Samulski (@MichalSamulski) December 7, 2022
Jabeur was very emotional after losing to Belinda
In the Charleston final, Bencic claimed a 6-1 5-7 6-4 win over Jabeur. After the final, Jabeur showed emotions and broke down in tears.
When Bencic was asked about her Charleston triumph, she admitted that Jabeur made her work extremely hard and that there was a period during the final when she didn’t know what to do. “Super proud to win the first title on clay.
I think it was a week where I was fighting. I was two points away from the exit in the first round, and I feel like this is how you win the tournament. I’m just really relieved I served it out. I think Ons, she took everything from me today.
And at some point I just really didn’t know what to do anymore, and I think she played great in the second set. I was just trying to fight every point. It means a lot, and especially this is the 50th anniversary of [the tournament], and it makes me so happy that I am among those names, especially when I saw yesterday all the former champions,” Bencic said after beating Jabeur in this year’s final. It remains to be seen if Jabeur can earn her first Charleston title in 2023.
