YOUNG GUN HAS WIMBLEDON TITLE IN SIGHTS
FRESHLY minted as a Slam champion, Jelena Ostapenko has already turned her attention to one of the most daunting challenges in tennis – the French Open-Wimbledon double.
A junior champion at the All England Club in 2014, the ambitious Latvian believes she has the game to succeed where a string of Roland Garros winners have failed.
Over the past 22 years, only two players – Steffi Graf (1994-95) and Serena Williams (2002, ‘15) – have achieved the feat.
But, overjoyed with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 French Open success over tournament favourite Simona Halep, Ostapenko is confident she can do it.
“I’m looking forward to Wimbledon because grass is one of my favourite surfaces,” she said.
“In three weeks, I’m going to get ready for that. If I play well, I think I can win, yeah.”
On the verge of elimination against Aussie Sam Stosur in the fourth round, Ostapenko completed an extraordinary grand slam fairytale by denying Halep a maiden major and the world No.1 ranking.
The first Latvian to win a major, Ostapenko, 20, vaults from No.47 to No.12, and from relative obscurity to celebrity. She smoked 54 winners to Halep’s eight in a style as refreshing as it is unreadable for opponents.
“She played really well, all the credit,” Halep said.
“She was hitting very strong. At some point I was like a spectator on court.”
Ostapenko is the youngest Roland Garros champion since Croat Iva Majoli (19 years and 300 days) in 1997.