Jeļena Ostapenko
Who was Jeļena Ostapenko?
Latvian professional tennis player who won the 2017 French Open singles title at age 20, becoming the first unseeded player to win the tournament since 1933.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Jeļena Ostapenko (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Jeļena Ostapenko is a Latvian tennis player born on June 8, 1997, in Riga, Latvia. She gained global fame by winning the 2017 French Open singles title at 20, becoming the first unseeded player to win the tournament since 1933. This victory was a milestone for Ostapenko and Latvian tennis, as she was the first from her country to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Ostapenko's career on the WTA Tour is marked by her aggressive playing style and powerful groundstrokes. She reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 5 on March 19, 2018, placing her among the top players in women's tennis. Her talents extend beyond singles, as she reached a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 3 on July 14, 2025, showing her skill in both areas.
In her professional career, Ostapenko has won nine WTA Tour-level singles titles and twelve doubles titles. Her doubles success peaked with winning the 2024 US Open doubles championship with Ukrainian partner Lyudmyla Kichenok, adding a second Grand Slam title. This victory showed her strength in both team and individual competition.
Outside the WTA Tour, Ostapenko has also been successful on the ITF Women's Circuit, winning 15 singles and 15 doubles titles. Her junior career included a win at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships junior singles event, hinting at her future success in the professional arena. She represents Latvia in the Billie Jean King Cup, contributing to her country's international tennis presence. Ostapenko remains Latvia's top-ranked player, confirming her status as the leading tennis talent from her country.
Before Fame
Ostapenko grew up in Riga when tennis was becoming more popular in the Baltic states after they gained independence from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Latvia's tennis infrastructure was still improving when she started out, making her later success especially important for the country's sports scene.
Her junior career showed early promise, and she won the 2014 Wimbledon Championships junior singles event. This win on the grass courts of the All England Club gave her valuable experience at Grand Slam venues and helped establish her as a rising talent in international junior tennis before moving on to the professional level.
Key Achievements
- Won 2017 French Open singles title as first unseeded champion since 1933
- Achieved career-high singles ranking of world No. 5 in March 2018
- Won 2024 US Open doubles championship with Lyudmyla Kichenok
- Captured 2014 Wimbledon Championships junior singles title
- Became first Latvian player to win a Grand Slam singles title
Did You Know?
- 01.She is known by the nickname 'Aļona' in addition to her given name Jeļena
- 02.Her 2017 French Open victory made her the first Baltic state player to win a Grand Slam singles title
- 03.She defeated former world No. 1 Simona Halep in the 2017 French Open final despite being ranked 47th at the time
- 04.At the 2017 French Open, she became the youngest first-time Grand Slam winner since Ana Ivanovic in 2008
- 05.She won her first WTA doubles title at the 2019 Korea Open partnering Dayana Yastremska