LONDON: Ons Jabeur was kept on court for more than an hour – but only just – as the speedy Tunisian dispatched former junior number one Diane Parry 6-2 6-3 on Friday to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon .
The world number two showed little mercy as she progressed to the third round, spending less than two hours on court. Had she not been smashed by Parry in the first set at 5-0, she would have reached the last 16 in less than three hours on the court in the first five days of the grass-court major.
The break not only earned 19-year-old Parry, one of four French women to reach the third round, a cheering ovation from the center court crowd, but also boosted her confidence as she upped her game to strike sublime one-handed backhand winners.
Although the teenager couldn’t save the first set, which Jabeur sealed with an ace, she went head-to-head with the third seed in the second set until it was 3-3.
That’s when Jabeur stepped in to deliver the knockout blow as she smashed Parry at love and moments later celebrated making it through to the fourth round – after being kept on the pitch for 68 minutes .
She will then meet 2018 Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber or Belgian 24th seed Elise Mertens.