Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, the “Minister of Happiness”, will have brought smiles to the faces of figures at the All England Club and Kensington Palace with her Wimbledon semi-final victory. The awkward prospect of the Princess of Wales presenting the trophy to a competitor from Belarus was averted by a stunning comeback on Centre Court from the best Arab tennis player in history.

When Aryna Sabalenka led by a set and 4-2, she looked well on course for a place in Saturday’s final, at which the Princess will hand over the silverware in her role as the club’s patron. Winning two more games would have also secured her the world No 1 ranking, providing a propaganda opportunity for the Belarusian government during the invasion of Ukraine.

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