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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Jonathan Liew

Ons Jabeur has shown how to live with defeat – like it’s the end of the world

A tearful Ons Jabeur after her defeat to Marketa Vondrousova in the women’s Wimbledon final.
Ons Jabeur could not hold back the tears after her defeat to Marketa Vondrousova in the Wimbledon final on Saturday. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Play to win, obviously. But if you must lose, then try to lose like Ons Jabeur. Lose like you mean it. Lose and be devoured by great, greedy sobs. Lose and weep on the shoulder of Kate Middleton and try not to laugh at the irony of being counselled on the virtues of hard work and perseverance by a literal princess.

Lose a Wimbledon final by hitting twice as many winners as your opponent and making twice as many unforced errors. Lose and bring the house down with a joke about how ugly you’re going to look crying on camera. Lose like you live, with all your heart and soul. Lose so charmingly that nobody really remembers who won.

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