Is Jelena Ostapenko poised for a Wimbledon letdown?
The French Open champion looks to keep up the momentum from her b
In the lead-up to Wimbledon, we're asking six burning questions—three about the men's field and three about the women's field—about the 131st edition of the Championships. Click here to read them all.
Jelena Ostapenko came out of nowhere to win the French Open, just as Garbine Muguruza did in 2016. Muguruza then went down in the second round at Wimbledon. Can we expect a similar letdown from Ostapenko, or is she definitely on the rise?
Sometimes it’s quite obvious to observers of the game when a young player has the goods, and winning a French Open title will definitely dispel any notions otherwise.
Ostapenko has given no reason to doubt her potential in her brief career. Before winning her first career singles title at Roland Garros earlier this month, the young Latvian had already shown she had the potential to achieve great things. In 2015, as an 18-year-old, she reached her first career final in Quebec on carpet and also recorded her first Top 100 year-end ranking.
Ostapenko made more strides the following year by appearing in her first Premier 5 championship match, dropping the Qatar Open final to Carla Suarez Navarro. While Grand Slam singles success eluded her, she did make the semifinals of the mixed-doubles event at Wimbledon.
This year, Ostapenko’s potential has been fulfilled with her French Open triumph. She managed to sneak under the radar in what was one of the most wide-open draws at the tournament in years. Actually, it was more like she loudly announced her presence at the second Grand Slam of the season, striking winners with abandon by the dozens in each round. Unseeded, but playing with a certain amount of fearlessness against her opponents, Ostapenko had to rally after dropping the first set in three of her last four matches in Paris. And she didn’t do that by playing it safe; rather, it was just the opposite: As the match got tighter, her arm got a little more loose.
At Wimbledon this year, which will be up for grabs just like the French was, Ostapenko will be more of a known commodity. The 2014 girls’ champion at the tournament has the aggressive mindset that’s conducive to success on the grass. However, in her two appearances in the women’s draw she’s only won one match.
Based on playing ability alone, she has the potential to go into the second week at the tournament. She has also demonstrated the fortitude to emerge from tight situations, a necessary tool for Grand Slam success. Expect her to stick around at Wimbledon this year.
But if she were to experience a letdown at this stage of her career, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, Gustavo Kuerten—the last player to make the French Open their first title, back in 1997—experienced a Grand Slam letdown of his own, failing to get past the third round at his next seven majors. Once those hiccups were shaken off, he built a Hall of Fame career.
Ostapenko would do well to follow in his footsteps.
LIVE this week on Tennis Channel Plus: 20 hours of live match coverage from The Boodles.
Watch all the action from The Boodles live and on demand on Tennis Channel Plus.
Watch former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro and rising star Nick Kyrgios live at The Boodles this week on Tennis Channel Plus.
WIMBLEDON: catch up on your grass court knowledge by watching some of the greatest matches on the Wimbledon Classics Channel on Tennis Channel Plus.
Watch encore coverage of the 2016 Wimbledon Finals and Semifinals on Tennis Channel Plus.