Watch: Ons Jabeur brings Tatjana Maria back onto Centre Court for another round of applause
Before celebrating her own historic achievement, Jabeur made sure fans at Wimbledon gave 34-year-old Maria the recognition she deserves.
WATCH: Ons Jabeur brings Tatjana Maria back onto Centre Court for another round of applause after their 2022 Wimbledon semifinal
Ons Jabeur made history with her victory over Tatjana Maria on Thursday by reaching her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. But before celebrating her own monumental achievements, the world No. 2 took a moment for a huge gesture of sportsmanship to her good friend.
With a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 win, Jabeur became the first woman from Africa in the Open Era and first Arab woman ever to reach this stage at a major—ending the 34-year-old mother of two’s fairytale run to her first Grand Slam semifinal in the process.
The two friends met at the net after match point for a long hug and a chat, but that wouldn't be enough for Jabeur. After the 27-year-old circled around the net, she quickly grabbed Maria and took her back onto Centre Court to receive another ovation from the crowd.
“It was really nice from her that, at the end, she wanted to celebrate with me even though it was her moment,” Maria said in her post-match press conference.
“For her, it's the first time to be in a Grand Slam final. Yeah, I think it was her moment, but she wanted to celebrate it with me, what makes it also really special.
“She really deserves it. I'm really happy for her, too.”
Jabeur is famous on tour for her upbeat personality and friendly nature—her nickname in Tunisia, and now around the world, is “The Minister of Kindness”—so she’s no stranger to facing a friend across the net.
“For me, after all, it's just a tennis match. We didn't go to war or anything,” Jabeur told press afterward. “It was amazing, great. I have a lot of respect for her. If she won today, she would have deserved it 100 percent.
“That's what I love about tennis: it's just a tennis match, then you move on and get to the next one.”
These two go way back, with Maria calling Jabeur a “part of our family” and her daughters Charlotte, 8, and Cecilia, 15 months, giving her the title “Aunt Ons”.
They’re also barbecue buddies at the German’s South Florida home—but with Jabeur preparing for a career milestone on Saturday as she faces Elena Rybakina for the Wimbledon title, cookout plans are officially on hold.
“She has to make a barbecue party for me, so I don't know [when the next one will be],” Jabeur said with a grin. “Maybe at her house in West Palm Beach.”