Injured and ill: Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka had to retire

Aryna Sabalenka remains without a grass court title in her great career so far. And Ons Jabeur will not be able to play on Sunday to repeat her Berlin title from 2022. Both of these top stars had to retire in their respective quarter-finals on Saturday. Sabalenka was 1:5 down in the first set against Anna Kalinskaya. It was clearly visible that she was not free of pain: her right shoulder was causing problems. Sabalenka therefore gave up.

Ons Jabeur's exit in the sold-out Steffi Graf Stadium was even more dramatic. "That was the best advertisement for women's tennis," said tournament director Barbara Rittner after Coco Gauff's magnificent 7:6 tie-break win over Jabeur. The two superstars had given their all, fending off several set points each and conjuring up some incredible rallies on the grass. In the end, Gauff took the set - and Jabeur had to retire. She had been ailing for the whole week of the tournament. Now it was simply no longer possible to perform. The spectators had a keen sense and bid Ons Jabeur farewell with a thunderous applause.