Jabeur finds it ‘hard to breathe’ as asthma flares up in Melbourne

MELBROUNE: A bad bout of asthma nearly derailed the comeback of former world number two Ons Jabeur at the Australian Open on Thursday, with the Tunisian saying she found it hard to breathe and nearly gave up in her second-round victory.

The 30-year-old three-time Grand Slam finalist is aiming to get back to the top after a shoulder injury last year threatened her career. But she said asthma was now becoming an issue. Jabeur, ranked 39, needed a medical timeout on her way to a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Colombia´s Camila Osorio for treatment and to use an inhaler. “Very, very tough to breathe. When I was younger, I was diagnosed with asthma,” she said, adding that she may not have continued if she had lost the first set.