Roland-Garros, US Open, Latvia: Everything you always wanted to know about Jelena Ostapenko (but never had time to find out) – updated after Rome 2024

Jelena Ostapenko is one of the most mercurial stars on the WTA Tour. Find out more about her

Jelena Ostapenko in Eastbourne in 2023 (Action Plus/Panoramic)

Carrie Dunn

May 20, 2024

Who is Jelena Ostapenko?

Jelena Ostapenko is a Latvian professional tennis player. She won the French Open in 2017.

WhAT DID Jelena Ostapenko DO AT THE US OPEN IN 2023?

Jelena Ostapenko hit the headlines in September 2023 after beating world No 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open. Not only did it end Swiatek’s term as champion in New York, it also dethroned her as world No 1.

Has Jelena Ostapenko won a Grand Slam?

Jelena Ostapenko won Roland-Garros in 2017, the first Latvian to win a Grand Slam singles title. The then 20-year-old hit 50 winners in the final as she came from a break down in the final set to beat Simona Halep and clinch her first Grand Slam title.

When was Jelena Ostapenko born?

Jelena Ostapenko was born on June 8, 1997, in Riga, in Latvia.

Jelena Ostapenko with the trophy after winning Roland-Garros (JB Autissier/Panoramic)

What is Jelena Ostapenko’s name?

Her legal name is Jelena, but her close friends and family call her Alona – that was what her parents wanted to call her but they understood they were unable to register that name as it did not appear on the Latvia name calendar; the authorities have said since then that they would have been able to name her Alona had they wished to.

what happened between ostapenko and azarenka?

At the 2024 Qatar Open, Ostapenko refused to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka after losing to the Belarusian in the quarter-finals, instead offering a racquet tap at the net which Azarenka refused.

It was not immediately clear why Ostapenko did this, but it was later revealed that the Latvian government had recently passed a law stating Latvian would not participate in sporting events against Russians or Belarusians. As such, Ostapenko did not shake hands with Azarenka.

Was Jelena Ostapenko a good junior player?

She was junior world No 2 and won junior Wimbledon in 2014.

How tall is Jelena Ostapenko?

She is 1.77m tall, or 5ft 10 inches.

What is Jelena Ostapenko’s career-high ranking?

She is a former world No 5, having reached that in the year after her Roland-Garros triumph.

How many career titles has Jelena Ostapenko won?

Ostapenko has won eight WTA tour-level titles: Roland-Garros and Seoul in 2017, Luxembourg in 2019, Eastbourne in 2021, Dubai in 2022, and Birmingham in 2023. Her most recent title came at the Upper Austria Ladies Open in Linz, where she beat Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final.