Jelena Ostapenko is the WTA World #36 and the 2017 Roland Garros champion, a Latvian from Riga who won the French Open unseeded at age 20. That tournament remains one of the most astonishing Grand Slam runs in modern tennis. She hit winners from every position on the court, took risks that would be suicidal for most players, and played with a conviction that bordered on recklessness. When it works, Ostapenko’s tennis is the most exciting on the WTA Tour. When it does not, the errors come in waves.
Her game is defined by flat ball-striking. Unlike most modern baseliners who rely on heavy topspin and margin, Ostapenko hits through the ball with minimal spin, producing a low, fast trajectory that skids through the court and gives opponents almost no time to react. Her forehand and backhand are both struck with genuine pace, and she goes for lines that other players would not attempt outside of practice. This approach creates a viewing experience unlike any other player on tour: every rally feels like it could end with either a spectacular winner or a bewildering error.
The years since that Roland Garros triumph have been a study in the difficulty of building a consistent career around maximum-risk tennis. Ostapenko has won additional WTA titles and produced impressive results at various tournaments, but she has not replicated her Grand Slam breakthrough. The margins in her game are so thin that a slight dip in timing or confidence can turn a dominant performance into a frustrating loss. She is aware of this, and her coaches have worked with her on building more constructive patterns into her game plan, but the reality is that Ostapenko is who she is: a player who would rather hit ten winners and ten unforced errors than play conservatively and hit neither.
Ostapenko will compete at the 2026 Grand Slams: the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Check Latvia time to convert match schedules.