Ons Jabeur praised Emma Raducanu after defeating her in straight sets at the Abu Dhabi Open on Wednesday (February 7).
Raducanu, who recently returned from an injury layoff, participated in the Australian Open last month, where she lost to Elina Svitolina in a hard-fought three-set match in the second round.
The 21-year-old bounced back with a victory over Marie Bouzkova in the first round in Abu Dhabi, but she couldn’t maintain her momentum and fell to Jabeur in the next round, with the Tunisian dominating the second set.
Despite her win, Jabeur had positive words for Raducanu in her post-match interview, acknowledging her opponent’s potential:
“She didn’t make it easy for me. Emma is such an amazing player. I wish her all the best. I know she can play much better. I’m a big fan of her. I’m looking forward to seeing her win more matches. Not against me, but other players.”