Ons Jabeur takes title at bett1open
Injury drama in the final: Belinda Bencic had to retire. Ons Jabeur was leading 6:3 and 2:1 when the match was abandoned.
This wonderful tennis week deserved a better ending. In the final match of the bett1open, which is endowed with 757,000 US Dollars, between top seed Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) and Olympic champion Belinda Bencic (Switzerland), Bencic had to retire at 1:2 in the second set due to injury. Jabeur won the first set with 6:3. At 5:3 for Jabeur in the first set, the Swiss player fell down and immediately held her left ankle. Ons Jabeur recognized the seriousness of the situation and ran to her opponent. After the break due to medical treatment, Bencic returned to the court, but was visibly handicapped and had to retire a little later. “Don’t let that take away the joy of your tournament win. You deserved it,” Bencic said bravely and stylishly afterwards. Jabeur and the spectators were moved by so much empathy.
Belinda Bencic, of all players. She had presented herself as the greatest fighter at the bett1open, having to go through three sets in each round until the final. “I wouldn’t have wanted to play three sets against you here, Belinda. Please get well quickly,” said Jabeur amid rapturous applause in the packed Steffi Graf Stadium. Barbara Rittner, the tournament director of the bett1open, chose the right words towards both players: “You are both such role models for tennis. And for your nations.” Loud and cheerful fan groups of Tunisians and Swiss had spread wonderful atmosphere. When Ons Jabeur then also said “I love Berlin” into the microphone, the ovation from the stands reached its peak. For the tournament success, Jabeur received a winner’s check for 93.823 euros. Bencic, who also reached the final last year and lost to Lyudmila Samsonova, will receive 58.032 euros.
In the final press conference, bett1open tournament director Barbara Rittner was impressed by the sporting level of the bett1open: “We had a very strong field and I have rarely seen such a consistently high level of playing as here.” Adam Szypt, CEO of the tournament title sponsor bett1, added: “That was a great tournament. We are looking forward to next year.” Edwin Weindorfer, CEO of the organizing e I motion group, noted: “ We welcomed almost 30 000 spectators at the facility, we were almost sold out the last three days. We are very satisfied with that.” He praised the international nature of the tournament as well: “The ratings were very high. We were broadcasted worldwide.”