Ons Jabeur Knocks Qinwen Zheng Out of Qatar Open

Ons Jabeur defeated Qinwen Zheng in straight sets at the Qatar Open.

Ons Jabeur defeated Qinwen Zheng in the Round of 32 at the Qatar Open. / IMAGO / Naushad

Ons Jabeur may not be back at her peak level of play, but she is definitely performing at a high level once again. After injuries derailed her season last year, the fan-favorite Tunisian has been a dangerous player in 2025.

Look no further than Tuesday's Round of 32 match at the Qatar Open (called the Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2025 or Doha Open). Jabeur defeated Qinwen Zheng in straight sets: 6-4, 6-2.

Similar to her subpar performance in Melbourne at the Australian Open, Zheng struggled with her serve. With a sleeve over her right elbow, Zheng double-faulted five times and hit 46% on first serves and 48% on second serves. The Chinese superstar was 3/8 on break points.

Taking the lead 👊@Ons_Jabeur grabs the opening set 6-4!#QatarTotalEnergiesOpen pic.twitter.com/QMF3rby8iJ

— wta (@WTA) February 11, 2025

Meanwhile, Jabeur showcased her signature control during the match. She hit 72% on first serves and 38% on second serves, only hitting one ace and one double fault. She was 6/9 on break points.

Jabeur felt behind 1-3 in the first set before completely taking over the match. She won 11 of the next 12 games, taking the first and a commanding 5-1 lead in the second set. Zheng battled back before ultimately falling short.

Making a statement‼️@Ons_Jabeur defeats Zheng in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 to score her first top ten win on a hard court since 2023. #QatarTotalEnergiesOpen pic.twitter.com/93YURt2FwA

— wta (@WTA) February 11, 2025

Today marks Jabeur's first top-ten win since Madrid 2024. Hopefully, it is a sign of things to come for the season ahead. The 30-year-old has battled knee issues, among other injuries, over the past year.

When asked about picking up her first top-ten win, Jabeur said it was "A lot of believing in myself and preparing for this match definitely helped. I tried to stay as focused as I can. It's very tough to play against her. She's a champion. I hope I can continue playing even better in the future."

Ons Jabeur after beating Qinwen Zheng in Doha

“That’s your first top 10 win since beating Ostapenko in Madrid last year.. how did you get it done?”

Ons: “a lot of believing in myself and preparing for this match definitely helped. I tried to stay as focused as I can. It’s very… pic.twitter.com/bDc61OT6LE

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 11, 2025

Meanwhile, Zheng has more questions than answers. She had a very short off-season and jumped right into the Australian Open in January, where she lost in the second round to Laura Siegemund. Additionally, she has been without her coach to start the year.

Zheng is currently World No. 8 with a record of 1-2. Jabeur is the No. 35 with a record of 10-4. Jabeur will face Sofia Kenin in the Round of 16 in Doha. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.

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