Sometimes labels can make an odd marriage. Case in point: Ons Jabeur, and her quest to go one step better than last year’s runner-up slot at the All England Club.

Tunisia’s famously warm and witty “Minister for Happiness” has flatly declared her mission here to be “revenge” – defined by the online dictionary Oxford Learning as “the action of hurting or harming someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands”.

But wait. Isn’t revenge meant to be a snarling affair? Jabeur doesn’t seem to have the hang of that characteristic at all. Can there ever have been a more courteous or generally agreeable revenger in the whole history of score-settling?

Whatever, it’s working a treat so far. In the quarter-finals here, the No.6 seed laid the ghost of last year’s final by defeating the defending champion Elena Rybakina. In the semis it was Aryna Sabalenka’s turn, repaid for dismissing Jabeur in the Tunisian’s maiden Grand Slam quarter-final here in 2021.

Now the only opponent still standing is Marketa Vondrousova, whose contextual crime is to have defeated Jabeur in Melbourne and Indian Wells this year. 

The Czech left-hander has Grand Slam final experience to call on, as runner-up to Ash Barty at Roland-Garros four years ago, while Jabeur followed the 2022 Wimbledon final with another at the US Open, where Iga Swiatek emerged victorious.

“I'm going for my revenge,” confirmed the smiling assassin. “I didn't win against her this year. She has good hands. She plays very good. Honestly, I will try to focus on myself a lot. I'm not sure how she's going to play her second Grand Slam final. We're both hungry to win. Whoever deserves it more will win.”

How odd the path of sporting fortune can be. Last year all the momentum seemed to be with Jabeur at Wimbledon. With her recent ascent to No.2 in the world she had become the highest-ranked African player (male or female) of all time – although sweetly she had no idea of the latter until she saw it reported on the news.

By the time of the final here she was on an 11-match winning streak, the longest of her career, all on grass; and had won 22 of her last 24 matches. She was the first African woman in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam final.

But her bid to become the first Arab, and African, woman in the Open era to win a singles Slam title was overwhelmed by Rybakina’s serve.

The nearest Jabeur came to cradling the Venus Rosewater Dish in her own hands was the home screen image of the trophy on her mobile phone, temporarily replacing a photograph of her niece as a constant visual inspiration throughout the Fortnight.

In 2023, her fortunes have been bumpier. The artistry and creativity of her game still abound, but injuries and wavering form have prevented consistency. Yet here she is again six matches down the line, finding the resources within herself to turn around those key matches against Rybakina in the quarters and Sabalenka in the semis when all seemed lost.

Bracketed with her fourth round victory over two-time champion Petra Kvitova, Jabeur is the first woman to defeat three top-10 players at Wimbledon since Serena Williams took the crown here in 2012.

For Arab women, for African women – for all women, perhaps – Jabeur’s story has a reach and a significance far beyond tennis.

There is little doubt the Centre Court crowd will share her odyssey come Saturday, beguiled by the magic tricks of her craft, charmed by the grace of her personality. And of course 11 million Tunisian hearts will beat with hers for every stroke of the match.

“The good thing about those people, they always tell me ‘win or lose, we love you’. That's great words to hear. I always try to remember that, even though I know everybody wants me to win.

“For me there is one goal: I'm going for it. I will prepare 100%. Hopefully I can make history not just for Tunisia but for Africa.”

And what of that mobile phone screensaver image of the Venus Rosewater Dish? Is she carrying it with her again throughout these Championships? Jabeur smiled knowingly when asked after her semi-final victory.

“Can I answer after the final?” she said. “You’re going to know after that.” 

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