Ons Jabeur interview: 'I feel pretty confident that one day I can win a grand slam'

For the past week, you could not wipe the smile off Ons Jabeur's face.

Tunisia's soon-to-be world No 2 was swamped by cameras, fans taking photos and security tracked her every move at Eastbourne's Devonshire Park. This was largely because she was flanked by her slightly more famous doubles partner, 23-time major champion Serena Williams. Not that Jabeur minded. Caught up in the Serena Circus, she looked practically giddy.

But she is seeking a change of pace at Wimbledon. Away from the glare of the spotlight on the court, you can find her at a park nearby the All England Club, sat under a tree observing her daily meditation. "I love nature, I love meditating there," she says. "That’s why I like to go to parks and enjoy the trees, breath in the fresh air. It’s relaxing, kind of calming and helps me. The grass courts [at Wimbledon] are nature, so that helps me connect more and get my energy from that."

This past week has been the most high profile of Jabeur's career, but she was already a trailblazer in her own right. She is the first Arab tennis player, male or female, to reach the top 10, first Arab player to win a WTA tour title and to advance to a major quarterfinal. Most recently, she became the first African player to win a prestigious WTA 1000 event in Madrid. But for all of those firsts, Jabeur says her career is rooted in making sure she is not the last.

"There's a lot of great players in my country, in the Middle East, in Africa," she says. "They have potential. It’s just they need belief and to really think they can make it. So trying to give that example, send that message, is a great honour for me. Young girls always message me on social media and say they want to be like me, and I say I wish for them to be