Google News John McEnroe identifies what might be key to Ons Jabeur winning Grand Slam
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 4418
The great John Mcenroe thinks Ons Jabeur has got the game to be a Grand Slam champion and he believes her fitness might be the key to achieving her ultimate dream. Jabeur, 28, wrote tennis history last year after becoming the first Arab to reach a Grand Slam final.
In 2022, Jabeur made two Grand Slam finals - she lost the Wimbledon final to Elena Rybakina, before losing against Iga Swiatek in the US Open final. Jabeur is now a two-time Grand Slam finalist and also enjoying a career-high ranking of No 2 in the world.
Jabeur is now widely considered among the best players in the game and a top contender for Grand Slam titles. "I think that she’s got a great mind, cerebrally. She does a lot of things players don’t like, her opponents.
She’s got a lot of things, she gives them different looks, different spins. She’s got the game and she has a natural feel for the sport. She's a great tennis player," McEnroe told Eurosport's Reem Abulleil.
McEnroe to Jabeur: 90% might not be good enough, but 95% or 100% yes
McEnroe underlines that today's tennis has become physical and that's why he feels that further improving her fitness might be the key for Jabeur.
"I would say this for everyone, but someone like Jabeur who plays that crafty game, who’s not going to blow you off the court, needs to be in that superior fitness so that she can do her thing and impact her opponents more and not think ‘if I’m running out of gas I‘ve got to get out of my comfort zone’.
I think there's more that she could do from that aspect. Probably more everyone could do, but I think because of the style she plays, it’s more of a premium for her. The game is there, the head’s there, but the commitment - that I had trouble with myself - to get that 100%. 90% might not be good enough to win the majors, you might need to be 95-100%," McEnroe explained.