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Jelena Ostapenko entered the French Open with one of the most unusual tournament records that any player has ever achieved. Of the five times she had competed at Roland Garros, four times she fell in her first round. The only time she managed to overcome the first hurdle, she won everything.
Clearly, you like your wins to count. He did it again on Thursday by gutting No. 2 seed Karolina Pliskova, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the third round with one of the best performances of her career.
Four years ago, Ostapenko burst into the limelight as a vicious and inconsistent pitcher whose punches could touch every line or hit the back fence on any given day. His vision of how the sport should be played was clear: you take risks, create your own chances and attack the ball, or you are nothing.
During defeats, Ostapenko sulked and belittled those who outmaneuvered her with sheer consistency. “She doesn’t play at all,” the then-teenager told her coach during her straight-sets loss to Agnieszka Radwanska, the No. 4 seed, in 2016. “She plays like an amateur. Our fans play better in Latvia. “
Since then, Ostapenko’s performance in the 2017 French Open final has defined her. Placed in 47th place and behind Simona Halep 6-4, 3-0 and with an advantage in her own serve, an absurd forehand running down became the catalyst for a surprising comeback. By the end of the match, she had turned the world’s best clay court player into a spectator.
“That was three years ago and I was not afraid, no one really knew me, but now the players know me more,” said Ostapenko. “They know how I can play. They probably know how to play against me. “
Although it was the highlight of his career, Ostapenko’s victory at Roland Garros was terrible for his development. By 2019, it had dropped from fifth to 83 in the rankings. She says it was “difficult to deal with all this pressure,” a challenge accentuated by her high-stakes game.
Ostapenko only began to turn things around late last year and against Pliskova her gradual progress accelerated. The world No. 43 dominated No. 4, not looking back after establishing a 3-1 lead and overwhelming the Czech with his violent combination of power and precision on both groundstrokes. He finished with 27 winners to Pliskova’s nine. His performance proved that those with the raw power to overcome the slow conditions can be successful this year.
Even more remarkable than his hitting the ball was the way his game has evolved. Throughout the match, Ostapenko carefully constructed his points rather than erasing every forehand. He displayed impressive defense, recovering with effective forehand and extending points rather than shooting out of them. Faced with Pliskova’s pedestrian movement, he peppered his opponent with delicate drop shots. “Girls expect me to always hit the ball so hard,” he said smiling.
Ostapenko’s growth contrasted sharply with the stagnation in the network. Pliskova hasn’t broken out of the top 10 in four years and is one of the most consistent players in the sport with one of the highest base levels, but on the big stages she always faces a quality player who feels the moment and feels the moment. rises above. her.
On Thursday that opponent was Ostapenko. When the Latvian marched to the title three years ago, she became known and loved for her quick, breathless speech and for how young she looked, even for her 20s. Now she is more considerate and her growth in her game is reflected in how she behaves off the court.
“The world doesn’t stop with just winning a grand slam,” he said. “Of course I want to achieve more and I want to get back in the top 10, step by step.”
Novak Djokovic entered the third round with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 win over Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania and will face the lucky underdog Daniel Elahi Galá. No. 9 seed Denis Shapovalov, a standout young player this year, failed twice to fulfill his game before losing 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 8-6 to Roberto Carballés. Baena after hitting 106 unforced errors in five hours.
