Jeļena Ostapenko, ranked No. 20 in WTA standings, upset World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the U.S. Open women’s singles round of 16 on Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:
- After dropping the first set 3-6, Ostapenko came back to win the second and third sets, 6-3, 6-1.
- With the loss, Swiatek will fall out of the WTA’s top spot. The reigning U.S. Open champion held the No. 1 ranking for 75 consecutive weeks.
- Ostapenko will advance to the U.S. Open quarterfinals for the first time in her career and face Coco Gauff, who defeated Caroline Wozniacki in three sets (6-3, 3-6, 6-1), on Tuesday.
Well, well, well 💅
There will be a deciding set between Jelena Ostapenko and Iga Swiatek. pic.twitter.com/3iIYIG0MLs
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 4, 2023
Backstory
Ostapenko now has a 4-0 record against Swiatek. She most recently defeated Swiatek in 2022, knocking her out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in the round of 16. In 2021, Ostapenko downed Swiatek in the round of 16 at Indian Wells. The two first met in 2019 in Birmingham with Ostapenko emerging victorious in the round of 32.
Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning Australian Open champion, will move into the World No. 1 spot.
What they’re saying
“I always expect a tough battle against Iga. She’s such a great…
