© Getty Images Sport – Abbie Parr
Jelena Ostapenko suggests being the one that imposes their style on the opponent and playing fearless is the key to success as the Latvian says she has learned her lesson after suffering a mental block during her lone match against “idol” Serena Williams.
Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, is off to a great start to the 2024 season as she has already won two titles in Adelaide and Linz and overall owns a 15-3 record in 2024. Following a strong start to the season and lifting the Linz title in early February, 26-year-old Ostapenko returned to the top-10 for the first time in five years.
Ostapenko, now ranked at No. 9 in the world, has interestingly won all matches played this year in which Victoria Azarenka wasn’t her opponent – she lost to the former world No. 1 at the Brisbane International, Australian Open and Doha. However, it has still been an outstanding start to the year for 26-year-old Latvian, whose game at the start of 2024 reminds of the one that landed her first Grand Slam title at a very young age seven years ago.
“I feel like I was winning matches, especially in 2017, by putting a lot of pressure on the opponent, like in the final of the French Open. I was still playing my game. Of course, I can miss some…
