The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Ostapenko confident of handling pressure
Unseeded Latvian completes stunning march to title
Jelena Ostapenko is confident she can take the attention in her stride as she targets more grand slam success at Wimbledon.
The 20-year-old produced one of the most remarkable tennis stories in recent years by becoming the first unseeded player in the Open era to win the French Open title.
Having arrived in Paris as the littleknown world No 47 from Latvia, Ostapenko leaves as the world No 12 and with her career earnings almost tripled.
The 4-6 6-4 6-3 final victory against Simona Halep was shown on a big screen in the centre of Riga and Osta-penko can expect plenty of fuss when she makes a brief trip back today.
“I think when I go back home there will be a lot of attention and this is really nice because I made history for my country,” she said.
“Of course now I probably will have more pressure but I’m going to try to deal with that. I think it’s going to be a little bit difficult but I chose to be a tennis player, that’s my career, so I should be fine with that.”
Next on the agenda for Ostapenko is the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, although it is a sign of just what an outsider she was that she is not yet even in the field.
With the rankings cut-off several weeks ago, Ostapenko is currently still one out, although a wild card will surely be made available for her if she wants it.
Ostapenko has more pedigree on grass than clay having won the Wimbledon junior title three years ago and rates the surface as her favourite.
It was not always like that. Recalling her first experience of grass aged 15, Ostapenko said: “When I first played on it I didn’t like it at all.
“I didn’t really understand how to play on grass and I was like, ‘How can people play on grass? It’s made for soccer’.
“But in the next couple of years I understood how to play, how to move and then I really liked it.
“Wimbledon is in three weeks and I’m feeling quite confident now so I’m really looking forward to playing there.”
Ostapenko stunned observers and opponents alike with her utterly fearless game at Roland Garros, smacking 299 winners in seven matches.
Her confidence comes both from youth and the knowledge that, when she is on form, few players can live with her.
Ostapenko has been coached throughout her career by her mother Jelena Jakovleva, added former world No 16 Anabel Medina Garrigues to her team a month ago.
Halep, the pre-tournament favourite, led by a set and 3-0 and there is no doubt this loss will take some getting over.
Halep’s coach Darren Cahill briefly dumped her in March after frustration with her negative attitude. Since then she has won 20 matches and lost only three, and Cahill has no doubt she will have more chances to win slams.
“She has a lot to be proud of,” said the Australian. “I knew she had it inside of her, it’s just trying to get her to dig down deep and really commit to it and she’s been great since.”