Ons Jabeur wins Berlin Open after injury forces Belinda Bencic to retire

Top seed Ons Jabeur secured a third career title when opponent Belinda Bencic was forced to retire injured in the Berlin Open final on Sunday.

Bencic suffered an ankle injury in the final game of the opening set, and though the Swiss player continued for three more games, she called a halt to the match while trailing 6-3, 2-1.

“I told her, ‘Forget about it, forget about today’. The most important thing for me is that she's OK,” Jabeur, who beat American teenager Coco Gauff in the semi-final, said.

It was not the way Jabeur would have liked to have secured the victory in a season in which the Tunisian has reached a career-high fourth in the world. She also became the first African and first Arab player to win a WTA 1000 event at last month's Madrid Open.

She is projected to move up to third in the rankings on Monday.

Even as the crowd gave both finalists a round of applause, Jabeur was busy helping treat Bencic as she took her seat, bringing her an ice bucket for her ankle.

Sportsmanship at its finest