Insider Wrap: Jabeur embraces the pressure; Gauff off to solid start on grass

The Insider Wrap is a recap of everything you need to know from the week that was. This week, WTA Insider looks back at the bett1open in Berlin and the Rothesay Classic in Birmingham. 

Performance of the Week: Ons Jabeur

Jabeur unexpectedly found herself as the top seed of a tournament for just the second time in her career, but she embraced the pressure to walk away with her second title of the season and second career title on grass. 

It was the perfect response to her disappointing first-round exit at Roland Garros, where Jabeur, one of the tournament favorites, struggled on opening Day at Court Philippe Chatrier. Before Berlin, Jabeur acknowledged it was a tough lesson, but the 27-year-old showed she bounces back well. 

Surprise of the Week: Beatriz Haddad Maia

The 26-year-old Brazilian won her first career title in Nottingham two weeks ago and quickly followed it up with her second. Haddad Maia was just inside the Top 50 at the start of the grass season and now sits inside the Top 30. She has reeled off 10 consecutive wins and her week in Birmingham, where she scored wins over Petra Kvitova, Camila Giorgi, and Simona Halep, firmly established her as one to watch at Wimbledon. 

Rankings Watch: Jabeur up to career-high No.3, Haddad Maia streaking

Honor Roll

Belinda Bencic: The Swiss star was looking sharp in Berlin before she injured her ankle in the final and was forced to retire. Hopefully, the setback is minor and she is fully recovered in time for Wimbledon. 

Coco Gauff: Playing her first event since making the French Open final, the 18-year-old advanced to her first grass-court semifinal and was a win away from making her Top 10 debut. 

Zhang Shuai: The 33-year-old has quietly enjoyed a steady and strong season. Now ranked No.41, Zhang already has the Lyon title under her belt this season, and she nearly enjoyed a perfect week in Birmingham, where made the final in both singles and doubles. But a neck injury forced her retirement and withdrawal.

Maria Sakkari: As Sakkari works to rekindle the fire and drive from the start of the season, she can count Berlin as a strong step forward. Seeded No.2, Sakkari made her first semifinal since her run to the Indian Wells final in March. She narrowly lost to Bencic in a three-hour barnburner, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Karolina Pliskova: Last year's Wimbledon runner-up is looking dangerous on grass again. With wins over Kaia Kanepi and Bianca Andreescu, the Czech made strides this week in Berlin. This was easily the best form she's showed all season, and it comes at an ideal time.

Notable Numbers

17: Aces fired by Karolina Pliskova in her 6-7, 6-0, 6-0 win over Kaia Kanepi in the first round of Berlin. Pliskova leads the tour in average aces per match this year, averaging 6.82 per match.

3: Times a top seed has won the tournament this season: Ashleigh Barty (Adelaide, Australian Open), Iga Swiatek (Stuttgart, Rome, Roland Garros) and Ons Jabeur (Berlin). 

2: Where Simona Halep ranks in return points won. She is second behind Iga Swiatek with 49.7%.

1: Ace that separates Ekaterina Alexandrova and Elena Rybakina at the top of the tour's ace leaderboard. Alexandrova has hit 160. Rybakina has hit 159. 

54: Years since a Brazilian woman won a grass-court title,

with Maria Bueno winning in Eastbourne and Essex in 1968. Haddad Maia has now matched that mark with her titles in Nottingham and Birmingham.