Ons Jabeur is targeting a return to the WTA Tour in 2027, but the three-time Grand Slam finalist has not set a date for her first tournament back after becoming a mother.
Speaking to The National in Dubai, the former world No. 2 said she was rebuilding gradually following the birth of her first child in April. Reuters reported her comeback plans on Thursday.
“I’m hoping to come back, hopefully next year. I still don’t know the exact time,” Jabeur told The National. She added that she wanted to spend a few more years on tour before retiring.
A return target, not a tournament booking
The important distinction is between Jabeur’s intention to return and a confirmed competitive schedule. She has not announced an opening event, and the interview did not set a deadline for completing her preparations.
Jabeur said her body had changed after childbirth and that her son accompanies her when she trains. Her account points to a gradual rebuild rather than an immediate return to match play.
She has not competed since retiring during her first-round Wimbledon match against Viktoriya Tomova in June 2025. Her initial break followed struggles with injuries and fatigue; she later extended her time away after announcing her pregnancy.
Dubai academy adds an inclusion programme
Alongside her own training, Jabeur is developing work away from the professional circuit. Her academy in Dubai has signed an agreement with Special Olympics UAE to help athletes with developmental disabilities take up tennis and improve their skills.
The National’s report on the partnership described a session involving 10 Special Olympics athletes at the academy in Academic City. Coaches and staff will attend workshops to help them design training for athletes with different needs.
The initiative has a different goal from Jabeur’s tour comeback: opening more routes into tennis, including opportunities to compete internationally. It gives the academy a role beyond training established players while she works towards her own return.
Why her comeback matters
Jabeur has won five WTA titles and reached three major finals: Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022, followed by Wimbledon again in 2023. Her first Wimbledon final made her the first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final.
Those results explain the interest in her next chapter. For now, the news is her stated aim to play again in 2027, not a promise that she will be ready for a particular tournament or immediately recover her previous ranking.
Cover photo: Ons Jabeur on May 19, 2015. Archival image, not her 2026 training or the Dubai partnership event. Photo: Tatiana / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped, resized and compressed; the adapted image is shared under the same licence.
