People know Ons Jabeur, the trailblazing and forever-smiling Tunisian star, for her happy disposition. But the Tunisian star also faces challenges like any other athlete, especially when it comes to balancing her professional and personal life. Jabeur’s Australian open campaigns came to an early end after a hard-fought battle against American eight-seeded Emma Navarro. The 23-year-old edged out the three-time Grand Slam finalist in a tight 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 contest at Margaret Court Arena. Recently, she shared insights into her unique coaching relationship with her husband, Karim Kamoun.

The three-time Grand Slam finalist had a tough 2024 season, making only one tournament singles appearance after Wimbledon in July. She had to withdraw from the remaining season due to the injury. Ons Jabeur is a five-time singles champion on the Hologic WTA tour and has reached a career-high ranking of No. 2 in the world. She was a runner-up twice at Wimbledon (2022 and 2023) and a finalist at the 2022 US Open. Jabeur now sets her sights on her next challenge against Jelena Ostapenko.

Jabeur recently appeared on the Nothing Major Podcast, hosted by former American tennis players Sam Querrey, John Isner, Steve Johnson, and Jack Sock. She delved into various topics, including tennis in Tunisia and, most importantly, her working relationship with Kamoun. “I think the key to this is the communication between both. Since day one, we started working together, I told him, ‘If you don’t like anything, you just have to tell me from the beginning. Just don’t let things add up and then obviously it will end up exposing us. We don’t want it to affect our personal relationship and our professional relationship… I think we have learned a lot, and we fought a lot, as well, but it’s nice to be at this stage for sure,” Jabeur shared.

The 30-year-old Tunisian emphasized that communication has been a very important key to making the dual relationship work. She also highlighted the positive influence of having her husband as part of her team. “I think I see it in a positive way. It’s a dream that we both share and we both want to achieve, and that’s something I like. When he cheers for me, it feels like extra energy coming from him, obviously more than from someone that I don’t really know.”Despite her early exit from the Australian Open, Jabeur holds a 6-3 record for the season, having competed in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne.

Up Next, she faces Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open. She will be competing at the renowned International Tennis Centre in Zayed Sports City for the third edition of the 2025 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open. The WTA 500 event will run from February 1st to 8th. Working with a husband can be tough, and for Jabeur, it’s a challenge to maintain balance between marriage and professional life. She thinks it is only possible through open communication and shared goals.

Ons Jabeur talks about evolution of tennis in Tunisia

Ons Jabeur, while appearing on the Nothing Major podcast, also spoke about her experiences of growing up as a tennis player in Tunisia. She is considered one of the top female athletes in the world. Jabeur made her way into the Top 10 rankings in 2021 and reached a career-high ranking of No. 2 in June 2022. She also touched upon the sport’s lack of popularity in Tunisia during her early years.

While reflecting on her childhood, Jabeur recalled the limited access to tennis facilities.“When I was really young, there were some tennis clubs but not big ones. Most of the tennis courts were in hotels. I don’t know if you know the Club Med. They have a lot of tennis courts there, and most of the time we would go play tennis there,” she shared. Her dedication paid off as she made history at Roland-Garros. She finished runner-up in the juniors category in 2010 and went on to win the title the following year, becoming the first African champion in 55 years.

Jabeur has already made her name as the best female Arab player in history. In November 2019, she was voted Best Arab Athlete of the Year and later won the Arab Woman of the Year award. With her success, she continues to inspire young athletes across Arab. She also discussed how Tunisian fans have a strong appreciation for legendary tennis players. “Most of the people here are fans of the older generation, McEnroe and Navratilova,” she noted.

From playing on hotel courts to becoming a top-ranked player, Jabeur’s story is an inspiration to aspiring athletes in Tunisia and beyond. As she continues to play and make history, Jabeur remains a beacon of hope for the next generation of Arab tennis stars.