Ons Jabeur believes Ashleigh Barty “would have won 20 Grand Slams” if she continued to play pro tennis. Barty, a former three-time Grand Slam champion, shockingly ended her career at the age of 25 last March. Just before retiring, Barty won the 2021 Wimbledon title and also lifted the 2022 Australian Open title in what turned out to be the final tournament of her career.
After Barty retired, Iga Swiatek established herself as the best player in the game and has won two Grand Slams since the Australian’s shock retirement. Jabeur, who made two Grand Slam finals last year, feels the situation on the WTA Tour is a great one with the level of talent they currently have.
Jabeur: Barty could have won 20 Grand Slams
“I think the change happened on the woman’s side a long time already, and the men’s side is coming for sure. The example of the Williams sisters and Roger [Federer], Djokovic and [Rafa] Nadal is unbelievable.
Now Iga is setting the example and Ash Barty did it too. If she continued playing she would have won 20 grand slams. But I like this new WTA. It’s so competitive you don’t know who is going to win and, honestly, maybe that’s better.
Sometimes it’s boring to have the same final all the time,” Jabeur told The Guardian. After Barty retired, many were curious to see what would happen on the Grand Slam scene as many believed that Barty’s retirement opened the doors for some other players to win Majors.
A few months after Barty’s retirement, Jabeur made her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon. In the Wimbledon final, Jabeur was up by a set before Elena Rybakina stormed back to win in three sets. Two months later, Jabeur made the US Open final but this time suffered a straight-set defeat to Swiatek. Now, Jabeur is hoping to become a Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open.
