The Princess Of Wales' words of comfort to sobbing Wimbledon runner up Ons Jabeur have been revealed.
Kate stepped in to comfort Ons after unseeded Czech player Marketa Vondrousova made history with her “impossible” Wimbledon triumph – with a 6-4 6-4 victory.
This was Ons' third slam final from the last five major tournaments having lost to Elena Rybakina here 12 months ago and Iga Swiatek at the US Open.
Ons sobbed as she received her runners-up plate before sharing a consoling hug with the Princess of Wales.
“Obviously she was very nice,” said Ons. “She didn’t know if she wants to give me a hug or not. I told her hugs are always welcome from me.”
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She later added that Kate gave her some words of consolation.
Asked what Kate has told her, she said: "Same thing after last year: to encourage me to be strong, to come back and win a Grand Slam, win a Wimbledon."
The 28-year-old made no attempt to sugar-coat the result, saying: “This is very tough. It’s the most painful loss of my career.
“It’s painful because you feel so close to achieving something that you want, and actually back to square one. I felt a lot of pressure, a lot of stress. But, like every final, like every match, I was telling myself, ‘It’s OK, it’s normal’.
“I honestly did nothing wrong. I did everything that I could. I think things take time with me. It wasn’t meant to be this time. Definitely this match, last year’s match, the final of the US Open, will teach me how to win these finals.
“I will definitely keep learning, keep being positive. I think that’s the thing that will keep me going. Otherwise, if I’m going to be depressed about it, it’s not going to help much."
This was Ons' third slam final from the last five major tournaments having lost to Elena Rybakina here 12 months ago and Iga Swiatek at the US Open.
The popular Tunisian claimed revenge against Elena in the quarter-finals and then saw off Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka to go into the match as the favourite.
But handling the pressure of trying to make it across the line, as well as attempting to become the first north African and Arab grand slam champion, proved too much.
She started well, breaking the Marketa serve twice to lead 4-2, but both times the Czech hit back straight away, and from there Ons seemed to freeze completely.
With high winds forecast, organisers made the decision to shut the roof despite it being dry, a decision Marketa was very happy with having played her last match-and-a-half indoors.
Ons had faced power players in her previous three matches but now, taking on the crafty Marketa – who is almost a mirror of the Tunisian in her love of drop shots, slices and lobs – she was unable to produce the same outcome.
Willed on by the crowd, Ons pulled herself back from 1-0 40-0 down to take a 3-1 lead in the second set but still the tension in her legs and arms was all too apparent and, with Marketa able to keep putting the ball back in play, the sixth seed wilted once again.
A double fault on her first match point betrayed a hint of nerves but she put away a cool volley on the second before dropping to the court in stunned celebration.
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