Ons Jabeur battled a severe asthma episode on Thursday as she fought through her second-round match at the Australian Open, defeating Colombia’s Camila Osorio 7-5, 6-3. The 30-year-old Tunisian, ranked 39 in the world, struggled to breathe during the match and required a medical timeout to use an inhaler.
Diagnosed with asthma as a child, Jabeur admitted it was difficult to play under the circumstances, noting, “It is very tough to play. I had to kind of not play long rallies.” She added that had she lost the opening set, she might have considered retiring from the match.
The three-time Grand Slam finalist, who is making a comeback after a shoulder injury last year, expressed frustration over her condition, stating, “I’m really just taking it one minute at a time and see how it’s going to go, but definitely I’m doing everything that I can to be ready.”
Jabeur now prepares for a challenging third-round encounter against American eighth seed Emma Navarro. The two last faced off in 2022, with Jabeur securing a comfortable victory on clay in Charleston.
