Published on March 14, 2023 at 12:45 p.m. – updated on March 14, 2023 at 12:50 p.m.
Still out prematurely, this Monday in Indian Wells, Ons Jabeur, beaten by Vondrousova, plays into Caroline Garcia’s game. While waiting to eventually climb on the podium, the Frenchwoman is already certain to dislodge the Tunisian from 4th place in the world.
Ons Jabeur has still not taken off this season, and Caroline Garcia will not complain. The new premature elimination of the Tunisian, who has not aligned two victories since her semi-final in Adelaide last January for her first tournament of the year, is indeed the game of the French. Fifth in the standings before the start of Indian Wells, while Jabeur occupied fourth place, a rank just ahead of her, the Frenchwoman is already certain to dislodge the unfortunate double finalist in the Grand Slam of last season (at Wimbledon then at the US Open) and thus regain fourth position, the best in career for the Lyonnaise, who has never managed to do better. While waiting to possibly invite herself to the podium for the first time in her life (this will be the case if she wins the tournament), Garcia will already be content to find her best ranking. And she can therefore thank Jabeur, who left in the second round in California on Monday after her new defeat against the Czech Marketa Vondrousova (105th), who had already ejected her from the table in the second round of the Australian Open two years ago. month.
Jabeur’s fears were justified
For the reunion between the two players, the 4th world hoped to take her revenge from Melbourne. Unfortunately for the player trained by her own husband Karim Kamoun, ex-fencer, she again came up against Vondrousova, victorious in two sets (7-6, 6-4) from the number 4 seed. Jabeur was therefore right to think after her first match (won in pain against the Polish Frech) that she had perhaps taken a risk by resuming so quickly after her knee injury knowing that she would not be one hundred percent. “I challenged it,” admitted the Tunisian, who will join Miami. Hoping for her that she will finally launch her year. Especially since the fate of Garcia will no longer necessarily depend on it.