Al-Ittihad star Ashleigh Plumptre opens up on admiration for inspirational Tennis star

Nigeria’s Ashleigh Plumptre has candidly expressed her admiration and nervousness for Tunisian tennis sensation Ons Jabeur. 

Pulse Sports can report that Plumptre revealed a desire to meet Jabeur during an interview with Arab News.

The 25-year-old has been speaking about her time in Saudi Arabia following her move to giants Al-Ittihad in September. 

Speaking on her adventure, Plumptre noted that despite the array of stars in the Middle Eastern country at the moment, she is not starstruck easily.

However, the Super Falcon revealed that Tunisian sensation, Jabeur, is one sportsperson she cannot wait to meet given her inspirational nature. 

"When I said I’m not easily starstruck, I think if I saw her I’d be very nervous," Plumptre said. The football star's sentiments shed light on the profound impact that Jabeur has had on her, not just as a tennis player but as an inspirational human being.

"I can’t even fathom that,” she added. I just think she’s an incredibly inspirational human, never mind a tennis player," Plumptre continued, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of Jabeur's influence, extending beyond the boundaries of the tennis court.

The 29-year-old is Africa’s biggest tennis player after a career-high second by the Women’s Tennis Association, WTA. 

Jabeur made history when she became the first African woman to contest in a major singles final as she finished runner-up at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023, and the US Open in 2022.

The talented Tunisian, who has won five singles titles, is continually breaking barriers for Arab and African athletes by excelling in a sport dominated by Americans and Europeans, per the Arab report. 

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Plumptre also noted in the interview that her journey to Saudi Arabia is one adventure that was fueled by a desire to make an impact on and off the pitch. 

The 25-year-old has netted two hat-tricks this season for Al-Ittihad Ladies since her arrival in the summer.