Ontario’s Bianca Andreescu offered solid opposition, but she finally gave up on Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in a third-round matchup at Wimbledon on Saturday.
Jabeur, seeded sixth, came from behind to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Andreescu, 50e in the world and 2019 US Open champion, was on her third game in as many days, after rain disrupted the schedule at the All England Club during the week.
The rain again spoiled the party when the duel between Andreescu and Jabeur was interrupted midway through the third set due to another downpour, the second of the day, when the Canadian led 3-2 , with equal service.
The game resumed after a 50-minute hiatus to close the roof over center court.
Jabeur broke Andreescu’s serve to take the lead 5-4 in the final set. The 2022 tournament runner-up then closed the books on her first chance, thanks to an ace.
“I have to thank the rain for having had the opportunity to speak to my coach and to have a better perspective of the match,” said Jabeur.
“I don’t think I played my best tennis,” she added. I wanted to be more aggressive and play my game. But I was facing a Grand Slam champion. She is a great champion and she made it difficult for me. »
It was the second duel between Andreescu and Jabeur. In 2021 in Montreal, they met in the round of 16 at the National Bank Open, and Jabeur came from behind to earn a victory in three sets of 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6- 1, after about 2 hours 30 minutes of action.
Andreescu had spent 4h 42 minutes on the pitch in the first two rounds. His duel against Jabeur officially lasted 1h48.
“There are a lot of positives. I almost lost yesterday. It was special to have the opportunity to come back and play today and play on center court against one of the best players in the world,” said Andreescu.
“I’m disappointed with the result, but I can be proud of myself,” she added.
Jabeur had been much more expeditious. In her first round match on Tuesday, she defeated Poland’s Magdalena Frech in 76 minutes. Then, on Friday, she had given no chance to China’s Zhuoxuan Bai, whom she crushed 6-1, 6-1 in 45 minutes.
It was the first time in his career that Andreescu reached the third round in singles at Wimbledon.
In the fourth round, Jabeur will face two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, who defeated qualifying player Natalija Stevanovic of Serbia 6-3, 7-5 in a match played on court number 2 and was interrupted due to rain late in the second set for about two hours.
According to the preliminary schedule, Andreescu was also scheduled to participate in a mixed doubles match with New Zealander Michael Venus on Saturday, but it has been postponed.
Also in mixed doubles, Laval’s Leylah Fernandez and her playing partner Wesley Koolhof, from the Netherlands, had time to start their match, but it was suspended. The same fate was reserved for the mixed doubles match started by Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski, who is teamed with Rohan Bopanna of India.
In addition, in men’s singles, Denis Shapovalov must play his fourth round match against Russian Roman Safiullin on court number two on Sunday.