‘I’m learning’: Ons Jabeur reaches French Open last eight for first time

O ns Jabeur entered the French Open last year with her career on the rise. Having won the Madrid Open, her first WTA 1000 title, she immediately followed it with victory in Rome. Jabeur began the second grand slam tournament of the year as second favourite but crashed out in the first round.

One year on, the 28-year-old returned under completely different circumstances. She has spent much of this season injured, with setbacks continually halting her attempts to re-establish top form. Still, the seventh seed continues to advance through the draw. On Monday, Jabeur eased past Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals at Roland Garros for the first time.

By finally making a long-awaited extended run at the tournament where she first made her name by winning the 2010 junior title, Jabeur has now reached the quarter-finals of every grand slam.

Despite her first-round defeat in Paris, Jabeur’s clay season last year paved the way for a breakthrough season as she became the first Arab and African player to reach the Wimbledon and US Open finals, rising to a career high of No 2. She had started this year with hopes of chasing down Iga Swiatek at No 1, but shortly after the Australian Open in January, Jabeur underwent minor knee surgery and was sidelined for two months.

Just as it seemed like Jabeur had rediscovered her form, disaster struck again. The Tunisian won her first title of the year on the green clay of Charleston but three games into her Stuttgart match against Swiatek, she was forced to retire with a calf injury. She arrived in Paris undercooked, mentally sharp but still managing both her injury and the frustration that has come with it.

“I have learned a lot how to accept things, either good or bad,” Jabeur