You can’t win a grand-slam title in the first week but you can definitely lose it and for a while out on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday, it seemed like Ons Jabeur was about to find that out for herself. But when the Tunisian needed inspiration, she reminded herself of one thing: “I told myself to be the No 2 in the world and just win this match,” she said, with a smile.
The No 2 seed’s 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-1 win over Tamara Zidansek was as tight as the scoreline sounds. She saved three set points in the opening-set tie-break and after dropping the second, it was only once she had got the break for 2-1 in the decider that the world No 2 found her usual rhythm, pulling away for victory over a tenacious opponent.