Ons Jabeur used quick thinking, a bit of creativity and some luck to turn the tide on the way to her Charleston Open championship. (More Tennis News)
๐ถJabeur, ranked fifth in the world, saw opponent Belinda Bencic's shot from the net coming straight at her. So Jabeur jumped with legs apart, put the racket behind her between the opening and sent the ball back at Bencic.ย
โBencic put her next shot to Jabeur's left and she responded with a winning backhand at the right sideline to tie the opening set at 5-all on the way to a 7-6 (6), 6-4 victory.ย
๐งโI reacted very fast,โ Jabeur said. โI saw the ball coming at me. So I was like, OK, I'm just going to give her one more ball to play and see.'โย
๐Jabeur pumped her fist as the crowd cheered and she kept the momentum the rest of the way for her third career WTA title.ย
๐ฅOns Jabeur understood the importance of that moment with Bencic a game away from taking the opening set.ย
๐ฒโI think I was lucky and creative with that shot, which was amazing and it changed up the game a bit,โ she said.ย
๐There were plenty of other critical moments for Jabeur, winning four straight points in the first-set tiebreaker when Bencic was a point away from taking charge.ย
๐Belinda Bencic was amazed with Jabeur's shot, too. โTo play that on a break point is just, I mean, well done,โ Bencic said. โLike what can I do?โย
เถฃBencic, the defending champion who defeated Jabeur in three sets to win here a year ago, joked that if the two meet in a grand slam final down the road and Jabeur does it again, โI will kill her.โย
๐คกJabeur broke Bencic's serve three times in the final set. When Bencic hit her service return wide, Jabeur raised her arms in triumph for her first victory in the United States.ย
โโI wish every tournament is like this, really (mean that) from the heart,โ Jabeur said in accepting the trophy. โReally amazing tournament and I hope I can come back.โย
When she does, it'll be as defending champion.ย
๐Bencic advanced to the second straight final about 30 minutes before it began, finishing off a straight-set victory over No. 1 seed Jessica Pegula by winning the final five points of a tiebreaker.ย
โญJabeur looked like the one who might've needed more rest early on. She lost her serve in the opening game of the finals and struggled to figure out Bencic's serves.ย
โBencic held two set points in the tiebreaker that Jabeur fought off. Bencic watched a Jabeur's ball hit the line and threw her racket. Jabeur's hit another sideline on set point that Bencic thought was out, but the chair umpire ruled in it as Bencic pleaded her case to no avail.ย
โโI wish at 6-4 in the tiebreak one of her balls would just go a little bit wide or a little bit long, but sometimes this is tennis,โ Bencic said. โI felt today was meant to be her way.โ
โJabeur took a 4-1 lead in the second set and held on for her first title since winning on grass in Berlin last June, also defeating Bencic.ย
๐The defeat ended Bencic's 10-match win streak on Charleston's green clay.ย
