According to Jelena Ostapenko, a player’s downfall when facing their heroes can result from their reverence for the game’s symbols and legends.
She thinks she let herself be impressed, which cost her a match she felt she could have won, when she remembers a close defeat to Serena Williams in Fed Cup action a few years ago.
Ostapenko stated on the WTA Insider Podcast, “If you respect someone too much, it can sometimes put pressure on you.”
I was playing against Serena when we played Fed Cup in Everett [in 2020], and she has always been my hero. She defeated me 6-7, 6-7. I thought my playing was excellent. I remember thinking to myself during the tiebreak in both sets, “Oh my god, I’m playing Serena.” I’ve always looked up to her. This, I believed, did not aid in my victory.
“She may be my idol, but when we play, I have to put these things aside and just view her as another player.”
Rather than feeling the fire personally, Ostapenko believes that she performs at her best tennis when she is exerting pressure on her opponent.
“I think I was winning matches, particularly in 2017—like in the French Open final—by applying a lot of pressure to the opposition,” Ostapenko remarked.
“I continued to play my game. I can definitely miss a few balls. This is typical. I’m not an automaton. It’s possible for me to miss a few balls here and there.
But exerting pressure on your own is crucial. Some players play this really well; one such player is Sabalenka. I believe she struck the ideal balance, and it suits her well. She’s a good example of our somewhat comparable styles, in my opinion.
Ostapenko is presently residing in or near the top ten after having a strong start to her season.
There seems to be a rising number of WTA Tour athletes that have the potential to win major championships.
Although Ostapenko’s victory at the 2017 French Open made her a Major winner already, it wouldn’t be shocking if she were to win a WTA 1000 or Grand Slam championship this year.
Right now, she is the player who is second only to Elena Rybakina in terms of matches played and wins this season.
Ostapenko has already won championships this season in Adelaide and Linz.
Due to events in Austin and San Diego during the WTA Tour’s ninth week of play, she won’t be competing this coming week.