Kate’s tennis friend who hopes to be the first African Grand Slam winner: Tunisian Ons Jabeur – who opts for modest clothing on the court – says she is ready to win Wimbledon, a year after making Princess of Wales cry with her dignified speech about loss

When Ons Jabeur lost at last year’s Wimbledon women’s final, it made a rare public emotional moment for the Princess of Wales.

Kate Middleton, 42, a huge tennis fan and All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club patron, cheered as Czech Republic’s Markéta Vondrousova claimed the Venus Rosewater Dish. However, she also empathised with Jabeur, who wept after the loss.

As well as her rare bond with Kate, in 2022, number six in the world, Jabeur made history and became the first North African woman, the first Arab woman, and the first Muslim woman to make a Grand Slam final.

Ons, 29, is set to return to Wimbledon this year, and her support from the royal mother-of-three has proven vital to her motivation and optimism in wanting to claim the title as the first Arab and African grand slam winner.

In conversation with Hello, Ons said: ‘Sometimes you know, tennis players, we can go crazy. But having her support, I think gives me extra motivation to really play good. Honestly one of the reasons I wanted to win last year was because she was there, and she was really supporting me.’

29-year-old Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur (pictured in June, 2024) has revealed how the Princess of Wales has motivated her to succeed
Kate Middleton was quick to offer Ons support following her defeat in the Ladies Singles final Wimbledon Tennis Championships, 2023
That support continued after her crushing defeat, with Ons explaining that Kate repeatedly asked how she was and whether she could hug her.

She added: ‘For me, it was such an amazing moment. And not just that, I felt her kindness and energy around me.’

It is unclear whether Kate will attend Wimbledon 2024 amid her cancer treatment, with Kensington Palace saying they will not confirm anything until much nearer the time due to the uncertainty around her treatment.

‘I really wish her a speedy recovery,’ Ons added. ‘I know she’s going through a tough time. She’s been there when I was struggling, and I hope I can really send my energy there for her. She’s such a nice person, and I wish her all the best.’

The Tunisian tennis star is not letting the upset caused by last year’s defeat impact her performance at Wimbledon 2024, and she is set on success at the competition.

However, it has not been an easy journey, and the player admitted her Wimbledon final defeat was the ‘most painful loss of her career’.

‘It will be tough to speak because this is very tough,’ an emotional Jabeur began at the time of the loss. She continued: ‘I am going to look ugly in the photos so that’s not going to help. I think this is the most painful loss of my career.’

Ons then congratulated Vondrousova for overcoming injury problems to become the first unseeded Wimbledon women’s single title winner.

The 29-year-old star caused a stir at Wimbledon last year when she breached the dress code and wore black (pictured)
Kate appeared to wipe tears from her eyes and pat her face as she watched on from the Royal Box at the conclusion of last year’s match
‘I want to say congratulations to Marketa and her team for this amazing tournament. You’re an amazing player,’ Jabeur added.

‘I know you have had a lot of injuries, so I am very happy for you. It’s going to be a tough day for me today. I’m not going to give up. I’m going to come back stronger and win a Grand Slam one day.

‘It was an amazing tournament for me. I wished I continued to the end. I want to thank my team for always believing in me. We are going to make it one day, I promise you.

‘Thank you for coming, cheering for me, the energy is amazing from day one at Wimbledon. I appreciate your support. It’s been a tough journey but that’s tennis. I promise I will come back one day and win this tournament.’

Later, Jabeur was asked by reporters what the Princess had said to her after the final.

She replied: ‘Same thing after last year: to encourage me to be strong, to come back and win a Grand Slam, win a Wimbledon.’

‘Obviously she was very nice. She didn’t know if she wants to give me a hug or not. I told her hugs are always welcome from me.’ The 29-year-old added: ‘That was a very nice moment and she’s always nice to me.’

Ons received a trophy from the Princess after losing her Women’s Singles final match against Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic at the Wimbledon Championships 2023
Ons has acknowledged her loss at last year’s Wimbledon as the ‘most painful loss of her career’ (pictured after her Wimbledon defeat July, 2023)
In addition to her rare public bond with Kate, Ons has additionally caused a stir with her clothing preferences.

Last year, she took to Wimbledon in a modest pair black leggings and matching t-shirt – a direct violation of Wimbledon’s dress code.

Ons insisted she made an ‘honest mistake’ after being forced to change by Wimbledon officials for breaking the competition’s famous dress policy.

When Ons entered Wimbeldon’s Central Court to warm up wearing black, the then- 28-year-old was hastily escorted away by officials and ordered to change into the traditional all-white attire.

She soon returned having changed into the correct garb, but her dream of capturing a first Grand Slam title at the All England Tennis Club would not be realised.

Jabeur is African, Arab and a Muslim – three significantly under-represented demographics in tennis. She is the youngest of four children and was raised in the seaside town of Sousse.

Trailblazing Ons Jabeur (pictured in The Maldives with her husband Karim) is the only Arabic woman ever to win a WTA title
She came from humble beginnings but now tours all over the world competing in tennis tournaments
Showing signs she was a young prodigy, Jabeur first began training with a coach at the age of four. However, tennis facilities in her town were scarce and she was forced to train on courts in hotels nearby.

Speaking to the World Tennis Association Jabeur credited her mother Samira and father Ridha for her success.

She said: ‘My parents sacrificed a lot of things – my mum used to drive me everywhere around Tunisia to go play the tournaments, and she encouraged me to go to a special school to study.

‘That was a big sacrifice to see her little girl going for a dream that, honestly, wasn’t 100 per cent guaranteed. She believed in me and gave me the confidence to be there.’

As she has progressed in her career Jabeur has remained true to her roots. Speaking at the Australian Open in 2020 she described herself as ‘100 per cent a Tunisian product’.

She has also said she wants to see more African and Arabic players on the circuit.

No matter the result this year, Jabeur will be cheered on by her number one supporter – her husband Karim Kamoun, whom she married in 2015 (pictured right)
The 29-year-old tennis star is hoping for success at this year’s competition (seen in Germany, 2022)
As the tennis ace has smashed several records she has become something of an icon among other Arabic women.

She has featured on the front cover of an Arabic magazine, Sayidaty and in 2019, she won an Arab Woman of the Year award for her contribution to sport.

She also takes her role as the lone Arab woman in top-level tennis seriously and what a wonderful ambassador she is.

Speaking during 2021’s contest, she said: ‘I hope that so many of the young generation are watching and I can inspire them,’ she said.

‘Hopefully one day I could be playing with a lot of players next to me. Sometimes you need someone to inspire you.’

No matter the result at Wimbldeon, Jabeur will be cheered on by her number one supporter – her husband Karim Kamoun, whom she married in 2015.

Since 2017, he has also been acting as her personal trainer. She posted a sweet photo of herself and her husband on Twitter on their wedding day with the caption: ‘Happy to announce that me and Karim just got married.’

Kamoun travels the world with his wife on tour and is a quiet figure alongside the rising star.

Jabeur reportedly told the BBC: ‘My husband, Karim, jokes he doesn’t want to go to the shopping mall with me anymore because it gets too busy with people coming up to me. But I love it.’