The Australian Open may carry the cheerful nickname of the “Happy Slam,” but let’s face it—it hasn’t been all sunshine and smiles this year. From shocking upsets to rackets taking the heat of players’ frustrations, fans have already witnessed plenty of drama. And now, the spotlight has shifted to Tunisian star Ons Jabeur, but not for reasons anyone expected. Jabeur, usually known for her calm and composed demeanor, is finding herself navigating emotionally uncharted waters. The reason? An unexpected health concern that seems to have taken hold mid-match, leaving the star player visibly shaken and struggling.

The Tunisian tennis sensation was playing her second match in Melbourne against Colombia’s Camila Osorio. Starting on a remarkable note, she took an upper hand in the first set and led it 2-1. However, destiny seemed to have other plans. Jabeur soon started to struggle and called for a medical timeout. And that’s where her challenges began.

Sitting on the sidelines of the court, Jabeur was visibly hurting as she broke down in tears. Soon, a team of medical experts attended to her on the court and helped the star player get back to playing. While the exact reason for the medical timeout is not known as of yet, Jabeur was seen coughing and tapping her chest earlier, which could have been due to issues with her heart rate. However, the “Minister of Happiness” proved she knows how to remain calm and resilient.

Despite facing challenges, Ons Jabeur bounced back yet again and eventually emerged victorious in straight sets 7-5, 6-3, and has sealed her spot in the third round. This win was quite necessary for Jabeur, given the challenges she has faced recently. In her ongoing season, the 30-year-old managed to qualify for the quarterfinals of Brisbane International but lost to teen sensation Mirra Andreeva. Her campaign in Adelaide took a similar hit where she was whisked out in the second round itself. Hence, playing in-form to prove her mettle is a challenge that lies ahead of Jabeur in Melbourne. Today’s incident, however, is not the first time when the star player has faced health in a critical scenario.

Jabeur was forced to withdraw from the US Open last year due to a lingering shoulder injury. In fact, the niggle had forced her to end her season early. “This year has been extremely hard for me, and as athletes we know that recovery is part of the journey. Due to my ongoing shoulder injury, my medical team and I’ve made the difficult decision to step off the tennis circuit for the rest of the reason,” Jabeur announced back then. But wait! Was Jabeur the only victim of mid-match health concerns on Day 5? Certainly not!

Emma Raducanu joins Ons Jabeur as injury woes hit WTA circuit

The Australian Open is turning out to be grueling for many players. Besides the concerns faced by Ons Jabeur, her British counterpart, Emma Raducanu, also found herself in a similar situation during her second-round match at the Show Court Arena.

Playing against Amanda Anisimova, Raducanu remarkably won her first set 6-3. However, the second set witnessed her struggling immensely with back-to-back double faults taking center stage in her game. Anisimova soon gained a 3-0 lead in the set. A hurting Raducanu was forced take a medical timeout, with trainers being rushed to the spot. The British star was seen receiving treatment in her left hip region before eventually returning to the court. But Raducanu too, followed in Jabeur’s footsteps and clinched the second set, to advance further in Grand Slam.

Now, with the Australian Open almost about to enter the second week, the fatigue and the warm weather in Melbourne might result in more players facing physical and mental challenges. Can Ons Jabeur and Emma Raducanu avoid it in their upcoming R3 matches? Well, that remains to be seen.