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Anas Jaber got rid of the tension and beat her Australian rival to reach the semi-finals of the tournament
Tunisian Anas Jaber, ranked fifth in the world, became the first Arab and African player to reach the semi-finals of the US Open, following defeating Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.
The Tunisian, who finished second at Wimbledon last July, won two sets 6-4, 7-6, while the Australian won one set 7-4.
Anas Jaber, 24, is the first player from Africa to achieve this feat and reach the round of four singles at the US Open Tennis Championships.
Anas Jaber will face Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia in the semi-finals.
Nicknamed the “Minister of Happiness” in her homeland, the player often worried while facing in-form Tomljanovic, who beat Serena Williams in a thrilling third-round match.
She later apologized for her negative feelings, joking, “I think I will be fired from my position as Minister of Happiness.”
Playing once morest Tomljanovic, the Tunisian player seemed frustrated at times, and twice threw her racket to the ground.
“The frustration is hard to deal with, and I apologize for my behaviour,” she added. “I wanted to stay calm but the racket kept slipping out of my hand.”
Nevertheless, she managed to hold on and win, to continue her quest to win the first Grand Slam tournament in its history.
“I know that I have a desire to win a major championship, I had to keep working hard (following losing Wimbledon) and here I am in the semi-finals,” said Anas Jaber.
