US-World

No. 2 Jabeur loses to Vondrousova at Australian Open

Associated Press
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 9:42 a.m. | Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 9:42 a.m.

Ons Jabeur of Tunisia reacts after losing a point to Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic during their second-round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday.

Marketa Vondrousova, right, of the Czech Republic is congratulated by Ons Jabeur of Tunisiain following their second-round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday.

Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic celebrates after defeating Ons Jabeur of Tunisiain their second-round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Second-seeded Ons Jabeur became the latest top player to exit the Australian Open in the second round, beaten by 86th-ranked Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 5-7, 6-1.

Jabeur had complained of a knee problem after her opening victory at Melbourne Park and seemed out of sorts for much of the loss against Vondrousova, which ended a little past 1 a.m. on Friday.

Jabeur, who is from Tunisia, was the runner-up at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2022 and came to Australia considered a contender for what would be her first Grand Slam title.

She reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne in 2020 but missed the tournament a year ago with an injured back.

The left-handed Vondrousova reached the final of the French Open as a teenager in 2019 but has never made it past the fourth round in 17 other appearances at Grand Slam tournaments.