The great John McEnroe believes that Ons Jabeur has the game to be a Grand Slam champion and believes that her fitness could be the key to achieving her latest dream. Jabeur, 28, wrote tennis history last year after becoming the first Arab to reach a Grand Slam final.
In 2022, Jabeur reached two Grand Slam finals: she lost the Wimbledon final to Elena Rybakina, before losing to Iga Swiatek in the US Open final. Jabeur is now a two-time Grand Slam finalist and also enjoys a career high position of hers as the world number 2.
Jabeur is now widely considered among the best players in the game and one of the leading contenders for Grand Slam titles. «I think he has a great mind, cerebrally. He does a lot of things that players don’t like, his opponents.
He has a lot of things, he gives them different looks, different twists. She has the game and has a natural feel for the sport. She’s a great tennis player,» McEnroe told Eurosport’s Reem Abulleil.
McEnroe to Jabeur: 90% might not be good enough, but 95% or 100% is
McEnroe stresses that today’s tennis has become physical, which is why he feels further improving his fitness could be the key for Jabeur.
«I would say this for everyone, but someone like Jabeur who plays that crafty game, who is not going to take you off the court, needs to be in that top physical condition so that he can do his thing and impact his opponents more and not think.’ if I’m running out of gas I have to get out of my comfort zone’.
I think there’s more she could do from that aspect. Everyone could probably do more, but I think because of the style that she plays of hers, it’s more important to her. The game is there, the head is there, but the commitment, which I had problems with myself, to get that 100%. 90% might not be good enough to win the majors, you might need to be between 95 and 100%,» McEnroe explained.
