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One day after defending champion Iga Swiatek's shock exit from the 2023 US Open, last year's runner-up Ons Jabeur also suffered defeat in the fourth round. She lost to Qinwen Zheng in straight sets.
Zheng advanced to her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal after defeating Jabeur 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 22 minutes. The Tunisian appeared far from her best as she committed 32 unforced errors compared to her opponent's 17.
The World No. 5 also struggled to hold serve, allowing the 20-year-old to capitalize on six of 12 break point opportunities.
Several fans were left dismayed over Ons Jabeur's performance. Many suggested that the Tunisian was still smarting from her defeat to Marketa Vondrousova in the Wimbledon 2023 final.
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"Watching Ons Jabeur hurts a little at the moment because you can still feel the disappointment of that Wimbledon final radiating from her. That's going to take longer than a few months to get over, I think," a fan commented.
"Ons struggled the entire tournament, she is sick and not feeling well. I think the Wimbledon final loss has hurt Ons' confidence. She isn't the same," another fan chimed in.
One user expressed their admiration for Jabeur's fighting spirit as the Tunisian endured struggles with illness during her campaign at Flushing Meadows.
"The easiest thing Ons could have done was quit the US Open, as she was clearly unwell. Ons don't do walking, she is a fighter, a warrior and will win a slam soom. Hopefully it will be third time lucky at Wimbledon next year," the user posted.
Here are a few more fan reactions:
"My money's on Aryna Sabalenka" - Ons Jabeur backs Belarusian to defeat Qinwen Zheng in US Open QF
Following her win over Ons Jabeur, Qinwen Zheng will lock horns with second seed Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the semifinals of the 2023 US Open.
Looking ahead to the clash between Zheng and Sabalenka, Jabeur expressed her belief that Sabalenka held a distinct advantage over the 20-year-old. She believes this is due to the Belarusian having greater versatility in her game.
"I mean, as someone that played both, I think Aryna hits harder. Speed-wise I think it's harder. I think she can do both. She can put a spin and she can hit hard. I'm not sure for Qinwen. She can put a lot of spin, for sure," Ons Jabeur said in her post-match press conference.
The World No. 5 confidently favored Sabalenka to emerge victorious, citing the 25-year-old's vast experience, powerful shots and reliable serve.
"I think Aryna has much more experience. Her game, you always on your toes. She hits hard, that you always expect something big. She has, like, great hands. The serve is not shaky. If she wants to go for an ace, she would. I think her ball bounces higher on the second serve. Yeah, it's going to be interesting. But my money's on Aryna," she added.
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