Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur announced her intention to donate part of her prize money to support Palestinians affected by Israel’s war on Gaza.
This came after her victory at the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals in Cancun on Wednesday, where she made an emotional statement on the tennis court after her win over Marketa Vondrousova.
Jabeur, the only Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final, expressed profound concern about the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke about the heartbreaking scenes of children and babies suffering in Gaza.
View this post on Instagram
“It’s very tough seeing children, babies dying every day,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking, so I’ve decided to donate part of my prize money to help the Palestinians.”
Jabeur stressed that her message was not politically driven but rather a call for humanity and peace in the world.
“I’m sorry—it’s not a political message, it’s just humanity. I want peace in this world and that’s it,” she said.
“I cannot be happy with just this win, with what is happening,” Jabeur, who is Tunisia’s unofficial “Minister of Happiness,” told reporters.
“I’m sorry guys, it’s supposed to be about tennis, but it’s very frustrating looking at videos every day,” she remarked.
