Born on June 8, 1997, in Riga, Latvia, Jelena Ostapenko’s journey to tennis stardom began early. She turned professional in 2012 but truly announced herself in 2017 when she shocked the world by winning Roland Garros, defeating then-world No. 3 Simona Halep.
That stunning victory marked her as one to watch, though her career since has been marked by both highs and lows. In 2025, however, Ostapenko has found her groove, delivering standout performances throughout the season.
Recently, she captured the WTA Stuttgart title with a commanding 6-4, 6-1 win over Aryna Sabalenka, boosting her WTA ranking significantly. Known for her fiery personality, Ostapenko has faced her share of controversies, including clashes with other players, such as a heated exchange with Elena Rybakina in Rome.
Reflecting on Roland Garros glory
Just two days after her 20th birthday, Ostapenko secured her career-defining Roland Garros title. Her three-set victory over Simona Halep (3-6, 6-4, 6-3) remains a watershed moment. Reflecting on that time, Ostapenko admitted, “My life changed when I won in Paris. I needed time to adapt. It wasn’t easy because I was 20. It’s very difficult to get used to so much attention and pressure”.
Winner, Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia and Runner up, Simona Halep of Romania hold their trophies following the 2017 Roland Garros final. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Battles with injuries and a comeback story
After her 2017 triumph, injuries and inconsistency hampered Ostapenko’s progress. She struggled to maintain her form and went title-less in 2018. But by 2019, she was back, claiming the Eastbourne title on grass—a testament to her resilience.
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Known for controversy
Ostapenko has never shied away from confrontation, earning a reputation as one of the WTA Tour’s most polarizing figures. In 2024, she famously refused to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka after a match, with reports suggesting lingering tension between the two.
In 2021, she clashed with Ajla Tomljanović, accusing her opponent of feigning an injury during a match. Her infamous outburst against Elena Rybakina in 2023, where she reportedly insulted her at the net, remains one of the circuit’s most talked-about incidents.
Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia shakes hands with Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan following her defeat during the Masters of Rome. (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Addressing her behavior, Ostapenko told to Clay: “When I play against someone I don’t like, I really want to beat them. I don’t enjoy making opponents angry; I just focus on myself. I’m emotional, and sometimes I say or do things I shouldn’t”.
A fan drama at the US Open
Ostapenko made headlines at the 2023 US Open when she demanded the removal of a disruptive fan during her third-round match against Bernarda Pera. Explaining her actions, she said, “He started yelling like crazy while I was serving. It wasn’t just one or two words—it was several sentences. I told him to leave, and he did.”
Ostapenko: Swiatek’s achilles’ heel
Despite Iga Swiatek’s dominance in recent years, the Polish star has yet to solve the Ostapenko puzzle. The Latvian boasts a perfect 6-0 record against Swiatek, with her latest victory coming in Stuttgart.
Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia embraces Iga Swiatek of Poland following her victory during the 2023 US Open. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Dominating stuttgart and setting records
Ostapenko’s Stuttgart performance was nothing short of extraordinary. She first took down Swiatek, the world No. 2, then cruised past Aleksandrova, and capped it off with a dominant win over Sabalenka, the top-ranked player, in the final.
Her commanding 6-4, 6-1 victory not only earned her the title but also propelled her to No. 18 in the WTA rankings. With this run, Ostapenko achieved a feat not seen since Serena Williams—defeating the world’s top two players en route to a WTA clay-court championship.
Following her win, Ostapenko said, “I didn’t tell anyone, but I felt I was going to win this week. I’m playing better every day, and I believe I deserve results like this”. She now turns her attention to Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros, where she hopes to reclaim the title she won in 2017.
With her Stuttgart win, Ostapenko reached another milestone. She became the first woman since Serena Williams to win at least one WTA title on all major surfaces—outdoor clay, indoor clay, outdoor hard, indoor hard, and grass. She joins Petra Kvitová as the only other player to achieve this feat in singles.
