Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur, the Tunisian world No. 10, was overcome with emotion and forced to retire from her first-round match at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships against Viktoriya Tomova after just 26 minutes on June 30, 2025. As reported by *Express Sport* and posts on X, Jabeur, a finalist in 2022 and 2023, broke down in tears and took a medical timeout after five games, trailing 2-3, due to a right knee injury. @Toptennis_tweet noted, “Ons Jabeur takes a medical time-out after five games against Viktoriya Tomova. The two times runner-up is in tears,” capturing the distressing scene on No. 2 Court. Unable to continue, Jabeur left the court, marking a devastating start to her campaign at a tournament where she has consistently shone.
Jabeur’s injury, which required strapping on her right knee, follows a challenging 2025 season marred by physical setbacks, including a shoulder issue that led to her withdrawal from the Berlin Open, per *The Guardian* on June 15, 2025. Her emotional exit was particularly poignant given her history at Wimbledon, where she lost the 2022 final to Elena Rybakina (3-6, 6-2, 6-2) and the 2023 final to Marketa Vondrousova (6-4, 6-4). *Tennis365* reported that Jabeur, known for her graceful play and fan-favorite status, was visibly distraught, with the BBC noting she “couldn’t hold back tears” as she consulted medical staff. Fans on X, like @Beeorlicious, expressed concern, tweeting, “Medical timeout for Ons Jabeur. She was in tears… This doesn’t look good. #Wimbledon.”
The match, which lasted only 26 minutes, ended with Tomova advancing to face either Daria Kasatkina or Zhang Shuai in the second round. Jabeur’s withdrawal adds to the unpredictability of the women’s draw, where seven different champions have won the last seven titles, per *ESPN*. Her exit is a blow to her hopes of becoming the first African woman to win a Grand Slam, a goal she’s openly pursued, as noted in *BBC Sport* on June 28, 2025. With a tough season already including a French Open quarter-final loss to Coco Gauff, Jabeur’s focus now shifts to recovery, with fans and analysts hoping she can return stronger for the US Open.
