AFTER a forgettable 2024 season, Tunisian Ons Jabeur kicked off her 2025 WTA Tour with a bang, fighting through a tough challenge against China’s Saisai Zheng at the Brisbane International last night. The 30-year-old slumped to 42nd in the world after being as high as second two years ago, following a frustrating 16-14 win-loss record in 2023 that featured injury interruptions.

However in her first match for the new season, Jabeur was able to get off on the right note with a 7-6 6-4 victory over the 69th ranked Zheng. Jabeur has a lot of potential heading into 2025 with few points to defend and obvious talent well above her ranking.

“I was practising really hard for the past two months and I didn’t know what to expect from my first match after taking a break for a few months, so I’m happy for the win, happy to be back,” Jabeur said.

“I obviously am very demanding with myself. I wish I could play better and better, but hopefully with the matches it will come.”

In the first round at Brisbane, she only won 51 per cent of her first serve points, but it was still superior to Zheng’s 39 per cent, while also able to break three times to two in a tough contest. She won consecutive breaks to go on a four-game winning streak at one stage which proved enough to close out the match at Pat Rafter Arena.

“I made a few shots and that gave me the confidence a little bit … She’s very tricky, she has a lot of good slices, type of my game sort of, so I got to taste a little bit of what the other players feel like,” Jabeur said.

“I missed winning. That’s the most important thing. Obviously, the time I spent with my family was really necessary and I did some good work for humanity so very happy with that and that gives me the happy feeling to be back on the court.”

It was not a great day for the Chinese hopes in Brisbane, with Xinyu Wang and Yafan Wang both bowing out, though Yue Yuan got up over Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus in straight sets. Russign young gun Polina Kudermetova and Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina both advanced through with wins over each of the Wang’s respectively.

In the other results, Kimberly Birrell came from behind to defeat fellow Australian Priscilla Hon in three sets, 3-6 7-5 6-2, while American Peyton Stearns was too strong for the older Kudermetova, winning 6-2 6-3 over Veronika. The remaining two matches featured Romanians with Anca Todoni winning against Spaniard Cristina Bucsa, but Ana Bogdan having to retire early in teh third set against Russian Anastasia Potapova.