Ons Jabeur welcomed her first child on Monday, introducing her baby boy Elyan in an Instagram post the following day. The Tunisian star shared a family photo with her husband Karim Kamoun, surrounded by congratulatory flowers. “A tiny miracle, a lifetime of love. Welcoming our baby boy, Elyan Kammoun,” Jabeur wrote.
Reactions from the tennis world
Her news sparked a wave of affection across the WTA Tour. Coco Gauff, Elina Svitolina, Leylah Fernandez, and Emma Raducanu were among those sending warm congratulations. Paula Badosa added her excitement, saying she “can’t wait” to meet Elyan. The outpouring highlighted Jabeur’s popularity and the strong bonds she has built on tour.
Career pause and future plans
The former world No 2 has been away from competition in recent months due to pregnancy, pausing one of the most consistent careers in women’s tennis. Jabeur, 31, has often spoken about her desire to grow her family while continuing her career. She confirmed to The National that she is not retiring, only taking a break. “I’m not retiring like most people think, I’ll be coming back someday,” she said.
Support for mothers on tour
The WTA has introduced measures to support players during maternity leave, including special rankings, paid leave of up to 12 months, and fertility protection grants. These initiatives are part of the Maternity Fund Programme created with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Jabeur praised the effort last November: “The maternity programme is unbelievable and I want to thank PIF and WTA for making this happen.”
Looking ahead
Jabeur has plans to open a tennis academy in Dubai and intends to return to competition after her hiatus. Several stars have successfully resumed their careers after giving birth, including Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Caroline Wozniacki, Elina Svitolina, and Tatjana Maria. Since turning professional in 2010, Jabeur has reached three Grand Slam finals and became the highest-ranked Arab and African player in history. Her journey now continues with a new chapter as both mother and athlete.
Ons Jabeur in 2025
Ranked world no.345, Jabeur played her last match on the 30th of June 2025 when she had to retire when playing against world no.156 Viktoriya Tomova in the 1st round and the scoreline was 7-6(5) 2-0 .
Currently, during this year Jabeur achieved a composed 15-15 match record.
