(Reuters) – Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur won the second grasscourt title of her career after reigning Olympic champion Belinda Bencic was forced to retire injured in the final of the Berlin Open on Sunday.
Top seed Jabeur took the opening set 6-3, while Bencic injured her ankle in the final game. The Swiss attempted to soldier on but was eventually forced to retire with Jabeur leading 2-1 in the second.
Even as the crowd gave both finalists a round of applause, the Tunisian was busy helping treat Bencic as she took her seat, bringing her an ice bucket for her ankle.
Jabeur dropped only one set during the tournament, in a warning to her rivals ahead of Wimbledon which gets underway on June 27.
She also won the WTA 1000 claycourt Madrid Open last month, making her only the second woman to win multiple titles this year after world number one Iga Swiatek. Jabeur is projected to move up to third in the world rankings on Monday.
Swiatek skipped the Berlin Open due to a shoulder issue, saying she wanted to recover and rest ahead of Wimbledon.
Jabeur will next head to Eastbourne, where she is set to partner with 23-times major champion Serena Williams for the doubles event. Williams is making her return to the tour a year after her last match.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
