Roland Garros: Ons Jabeur reflects on shock defeat

The Tunisian slumped to defeat to 56th-ranked Pole Magda Linette 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.

The 27-year-old was picked by some as a potential champion at Roland Garros.

Jabeur came into Roland Garros with a season-leading 17 wins on clay. She also won the prestigious Madrid title and was runner-up in Rome against World No 1 Iga Swiatek.

‘Maybe it was good to lose’ says Ons Jabeur

However, she was undone Sunday by 47 unforced errors in the two hour 28-minute match.

“Obviously I was expecting better but we say maybe something happens bad because there is something good happening in the future,” said Jabeur.

“Hopefully the grass season, hopefully Wimbledon, I don’t know, but it’s definitely a great time to reflect and to see what’s going to happen next.”

“So maybe it was a good thing to lose today. I would rather say this and be really tough with myself than waste all the good energy that I got from Madrid and Rome.”

Roland Garros opener ends in an upset

Jabeur wasn’t too pleased to be first out on centre court.

“Well, honestly, I wasn’t happy to play on a Sunday at 11,” she added.

“I’ve got quite a peculiar relationship with this court, I like it and I don’t like it at the same time.”

Linette had lost to Jabeur in the third round in 2021 after stunning an injured Ashleigh Barty.

“I just tried to stay focused after the first set and tried to make her uncomfortable. I was happy to fight for every single point,” said Linette who needed treatment on a leg injury after dropping the first set.

“I shifted my attention to play faster and my racquet speed was faster than in the first set.

“I wanted to put her in the situation where she couldn’t move me around as much.”

Linette, next faces either 2020 Roland Garros quarter-finalist Martina Trevisan of Italy or Britain’s Harriet Dart for a spot in the last 32.