Tunisian wildcard Ons Jabeur was unable to capitalise on her impressive first round win in the Dubai qualifying tournament as the 17-year-old suffered a narrow defeat to Arantxa Rus in the second round on Sunday.
Jabeur squandered a 4-1 lead in the final set against the Dutchwoman to eventually fall 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 and miss out on a chance to clinch a spot in the main draw.
“Of course I am a bit upset because I felt the match was mine,” Jabeur told Sport360°. “She didn’t win it. I gave it to her.
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“But this is the way tennis is like, and hopefully next time I’ll learn from this experience.”
Jabeur, who was only playing her second ever WTA-level event, will now fly back to Belgium where she trains at the Justine Henin Tennis Academy. “I’m still satisfied about my trip to Dubai because I managed to win eight points towards my ranking. I had the chance to get 20 but unfortunately I was unlucky.”
Rus now faces Romanian Simona Halep, who overwhelmed Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-1, 6-1.
Meanwhile, Casey Dellacqua is just one match away from gaining a place in the main draw after claiming a stunning 6-0, 6-3 victory over Japan’s Ayumi Morita.
Dellacqua who made a sensational comeback last season after suffering a crippling foot injury, won seven ITF singles titles including a record-breaking six in a row, plus six doubles titles in 2011. She plays Czech Republic’s Iveta Benesova in the final round of qualifying today.
In other matches, former Dubai finalist Virginie Razzano beat Kristina Barrois 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 while Australian Anastasia Rodionova upset No8 seed in qualifying, Tamira Paszek 6-4, 6-4.
