Wimbledon fever grips Tunisia as national hero Ons Jabeur prepares for final

Despite temperatures expected to reach 45º Celsius on Saturday, families and friends in Tunisia are determined to gather and cheer for their national pride, Ons Jabeur, as she prepares to make history at the Wimbledon final.

Jabeur made a stunning comeback against Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday to secure her spot in a second straight final at the All England Club. Tunisians are struggling to contain their excitement as anticipation builds for the maiden Grand Slam title for Jabeur.

“I am proud of her both as a Tunisian and a tennis fan,” 30-year-old fan Sofien Achouri told The National on the eve of the match.

Achouri, who has been following Jabeur’s progress over the years, said that her impact on Tunisian society is more visible as she continues to garner more success and accolades.

“Parents are now signing up their kids for tennis classes and encouraging them to follow in her footsteps,” he said.

That is arguably Jabeur's most remarkable achievement. She has managed to turn the attention of a country whose sport’s culture revolves around football to an individual sport that was earlier seen as a game for the elite.

“People used to only watch tennis when Roland Garros took place and not many did that. Now we see more and more people following the game and cheering for it,” Achouri added.

Jabeur is brining about a change in the country's culture. Seeing male-dominated popular cafes have special screenings for a female athlete and screaming at the top of their lungs, like they would during a football match, is definitely not a common scene.

Jabeur's results are just one of many reasons why people love her. Her humility, while being a torchbearer for tennis in the Mena region, has touched people’s hearts everywhere, not only