Ostapenko Weight Gain: There has been considerable discussion on social media regarding Jelena Ostapenko’s weight gain. However, it is crucial to shift our focus away from that and direct it toward her recent outstanding performances. The Latvian tennis player has been in exceptional form as of late, to say the least. She secured her spot in the 2023 Australian Open quarterfinals by defeating the seventh seed, Coco Gauff. She won the match with a score of 7-5, 6-3.
Prior to this, Ostapenko triumphed over Dayana Yastremska, Anna Bondar, and Kateryna Baindl, enabling her to reach the last 16 at the Australian Open for the first time in her career.
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Speculation regarding Ostapenko’s weight gain surfaced after last year’s Australian Open, where she was eliminated in the third round. However, it is futile to place excessive emphasis on those reports, considering her impressive performances over the past 12 months.
In the previous year, Ostapenko claimed victory in the Dubai Tennis Championships and reached the semifinals of the Qatar Open. Additionally, she reached the finals of the Rothesay International in Eastbourne and the Korea Open.
The Latvian player particularly showcased her skills in doubles competitions, reaching the semifinals of two Grand Slams and clinching the Cincinnati Open title alongside her partner, Lyudmyla Kichenok. The pair also made it to the semifinals of the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas.
While it is true that Ostapenko hasn’t been able to replicate the magic of her 2017 French Open victory. There she emerged as the tournament champion as a teenager. Post that, she has consistently performed well, maintaining a spot within the top 30 singles rankings throughout 2022. She almost broke into the top 10.
Given all of these achievements, it would be unfair to solely focus on Ostapenko’s physical appearance. By doing so, we would overlook what truly matters—the captivating and skillful tennis she has displayed at Melbourne Park in recent days.
During one of her post-match press conferences at the Australian Open, Jelena Ostapenko openly admitted that the pressures of bursting onto the scene as a Grand Slam champion at the age of 19 had a significant impact on her mental state. She acknowledged that she needed time to cope with the accompanying pressure.
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“Honestly, yes, because everybody expected you almost to win every single tournament, which is crazy because you are still a human and you cannot feel great every day. Yeah, I needed some time to get used to it,” expressed Jelena Ostapenko. She added, “Of course, a lot of attention from everywhere outside the court, like photo shoots and all those kinds of things. You became more popular in your country. Everybody is watching you. Of course, it’s great, but I needed some time to get used to it.”
Simultaneously, the 25-year-old Latvian stated that she never stopped believing in her ability to win another Grand Slam. She emphasized that when her game is on point, she can defeat “almost anyone.” The Australian Open felt like one of those occasions for Ostapenko.
“My life changed a lot, so I needed a few years to really get used to what happened because I was really young. I was 19 and then turned 20. I always knew and believed in my game. If I play well, I can beat almost anyone,” she declared. “I was trying to work more on my consistency, especially in the preseason. Yeah, just to step on the court and play my game. I think I’m doing it quite well this week,” Ostapenko added.
Following her victory over Coco Gauff, Jelena Ostapenko is set to face Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Rybakina, the Kazakh player, secured her spot in the last eight of the tournament by stunning the World No. 1, Iga Swiatek, with a score of 6-4, 6-4.
Ostapenko and Rybakina will be meeting for the third time, with the former emerging victorious in their previous encounters. The first match took place in Linz, where the Latvian won with a score of 7-5, 6-1. They also faced off in the semifinals of the 2021 Eastbourne International, with Ostapenko prevailing 6-4, 6-1.
If Jelena Ostapenko secures a win against Elena Rybakina, it will mark her first Grand Slam semifinal appearance since the 2018 Wimbledon championships. Her journey in the tournament has been remarkable, and she continues to exhibit her skills on the court.