Ons Jabeur said she was happy to get through a tense clash with Marie Bouzkova at the US Open on Saturday.

Battling respiratory issues, Jabeur had complained she felt like a zombie during her first two matches but came back from the dead in a late-night three-hour thriller to fend off Bouzkova, who also showed she is made of tough stuff playing with a heavily strapped groin.

Having claimed the opening set, Czech 31st seed Bouzkova took an off-court medical timeout midway through the second due to an apparent leg issue, then soldiered on, but Jabeur began to make her opponent run around more with regular drop shots.

“I was trying to make her move as much as possible. I know that’s not cool, but I wanted to win,” said Jabeur, who overcame her own early struggles due to flu and prevailed 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-3 after nearly three hours.

The Tunisian told a press conference she was not initially sure how serious Bouzkova’s injury was.

“I was trying to observe her a lot, try to see where she was hurt,” Jabeur said.“I felt like doing dropshots on her forehand. I did on both, but felt like the forehand side was the side that bothered her a lot. I was tense at times.

“I really focussed on her (more) than on myself. I feel I even forgot that I wasn’t feeling that well. I’m glad I got through this. It’s never easy playing someone injured.”

Reuters