On-form Ons Jabeur hopeful of becoming first African Wimbledon winner

Ons Jabeur’s hopes of becoming the first African to Wimbledon’s Rosewater Dish remained a reality as she edged out Belgian Elise Mertens 7-6(9), 6-4 in a topsy-turvy encounter to reach the quarterfinals at the All England Club for the second year running.

The second-ranked Tunisian, the only seed left in the bottom half of the women’s draw, has been the form player over the opening week of the grasscourt championship as she reached the last eight without dropping a set.

The 27-year-old came into the tournament already flying high following a season that has seen her surge to that career-high ranking of No 2 in the world, thanks in part to titles at the Madrid Masters and last month in Birmingham.

After the early exits of the two top seeds, Iga Swiatek and Anett Kontaveit, Jabeur knows she has a target on her back. But the Tunisian said she would stop at nothing to ensure she lifts the most famous accolade in women’s tennis come Saturday.

“It’s never easy to play anyone during a Grand Slam. Especially with my position, everybody wants to grab the win,” she said.

“I have my goals very high for this tournament ... no matter who’s coming, I'm going to build the fight, I’m going to fight until the end because I really want the title.”

The Tunisian will next lock horns with 66th-ranked Czech challenger Marie Bouzkova as she targets a place in the semifinals of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Meanwhile, debutant Harmony Tan, who ousted Serena Williams in the first round, continued her fairy-tale run with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of local favourite Katie Boulter. The Frenchwoman next faces American Amanda Anisimova.

The future is bright?