Reaching three Grand Slam finals is an incredible achievement, but Ons Jabeur is still chasing her first major title. The road has been filled with heartbreak, and no loss hit harder than the 2023 Wimbledon final against Markéta Vondroušová. That defeat didn’t just cost her the trophy—it also forced her to put her dream of motherhood on hold. Now, the Tunisian tennis star ready to revisit that dream.

Ons Jabeur recently sat down with former American tennis players Jack Sock, John Isner, Steve Johnson, and Sam Querrey on their ‘Nothing Major’ podcast. The interview was recorded six weeks before its release on February 1, and during the conversation, the Tunisian star shared her thoughts on becoming a mother.

She said, “Athletes in general, it is tough to take the decision. And I think after COVID, I kind of had like a baby fever. I was like, okay, maybe it’s time. And then, I don’t know, it’s going to take time to come back and play tennis. But at the same time, I was playing really good and I was kind of achieving top ten. And it was a very difficult decision. But I love kids so much and definitely I want to be a mother one day. And you know, everything happens for a reason. Everything happens in their own time. It wasn’t meant to be for me to be a mother before. And I’m sure it will happen very soon.”

The former World No.2 had made it clear that she always had plans to have a family. But first, she wanted to win a Grand Slam. The 30-year-old tennis player’s first shot at a major title came at Wimbledon 2022, where she lost to Elena Rybakina. Later that year, she reached the US Open final but fell short against Iga Świątek.

Then came 2023, a season filled with ups and downs. She struggled with breathing issues at the Australian Open and dealt with injuries throughout the year. Despite everything, she fought her way back to another Wimbledon final, hoping this would finally be her moment. But once again, victory slipped away, this time to Markéta Vondroušová. That loss stung the most. Jabeur had planned to take a break and start a family if she had won Wimbledon. But without the trophy in her hands, she decided to put those plans on hold.

While she delayed her plans in 2023, the former Wimbledon finalist’s mindset seems to have shifted. She now believes motherhood and tennis don’t have to be separate journeys. After all, there are plenty of players who have balanced both.

Ons Jabeur to follow supermoms of tennis who have done it all

Serena Williams is the most famous example. The 23-time Grand Slam champion had her daughter, Olympia, in 2017 but continued competing at the highest level. In 2022, with Olympia just five years old, Williams won the US Open, proving she could still compete with the best.

Naomi Osaka is another example. The four-time Grand Slam champion gave birth to her daughter, Shai, in 2023 and has since returned to the court in 2024. Speaking about how motherhood changed her perspective, Osaka said, “I know a lot of people probably think I retired in that year but it just made me a lot more grateful for the sport and, in turn, made me just know there’s so many possibilities outside tennis and I realised I would still love to play tennis.”

Jabeur might be the next name to join this list. She has already said she expects motherhood to happen “soon,” as she said.

For now, Jabeur’s focus is on the court. She has traveled to the Middle East for the Abu Dhabi Open, where she will face Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in the first round tomorrow.

Will she finally lift her first Grand Slam before stepping away for motherhood?