By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, June 19, 2022
Ons Jabeur held a 6-3, 2-1 lead when Belinda Bencic retired from today's Berlin final with an ankle injury. Jabeur rises to a career-high ranking of No. 3.
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Steffi Graf Stadium doesn’t host hills.
That didn’t stop Ons Jabeur from reaching a professional peak in Berlin.
More: Federer Confirms Comeback Plan
Jabeur held a 6-3, 2-1 lead over Belinda Bencic in today’s Berlin final when the eighth-seeded Swiss was forced to retire due to a left ankle injury.
The 27-year-old Jabeur was both conqueror and consoler bringing a bucket of ice over to the injured Swiss after her retirement.
Playing as a top seed at a tournament for just the second time, Jabeur captured her third career championship. Jabeur, who won the biggest title of her career on the red clay of Madrid last month, rises to a career-high rank of No. 3 in the live rankings after this title run.
It's been a career-changing stretch for Jabeur, who avenged her 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 loss to Bencic in the Charleston final in April, raising her 2022 record to 30-9. The Tunisian trailblazer is second to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek for most WTA wins this season.
Contesting her fifth grass final, Bencic was bidding for her first grass-court title since she won Eastbourne seven years ago. The Olympic gold-medal champion rolled her left ankle late in the opening set. Bencic took an injury timeout for treatment of her ankle.
When play resumed, Jabeur zapped an ace to close the opening set in 42 minutes.
Bencic played three more games before pulling the plug on the match in hopes of ensuring she will be healthy enough to play Wimbledon starting on June 27th.
Two of Jabeur's three singles titles have come on grass. Last June, Jabeur defeated Daria Kasatkina to collect her maiden WTA title on the grass of Birmingham.
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Contesting her fourth final in her last six tournaments, Jabeur dropped just one set in five tournament wins—over two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist Karolina Muchova, Alycia Parks, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Roland Garros runner-up Coco Gauff and Bencic—winning her third title just weeks after falling to Magda Linette in her Roland Garros opener.
Next for Jabeur is at Eastbourne doubles date with partner Serena Williams, who is playing doubles at Eastbourne to warm up for Wimbledon starting on June 27th.