Jelena Ostapenko gives priceless reaction to a hilarious Iga Swiatek question after beating her in Stuttgart

Clay is Iga Swiatek's forte, while beating the Pole is Jelena Ostapenko's forte, no matter the surface.

Jelena Ostapenko gives priceless reaction to a hilarious Iga Swiatek question after beating her in Stuttgart

Jelena Ostapenko, Iga Swiatek (images via X)

After a disappointing first quarter of the season, there was a lot of hope that Iga Swiatek could probably turn things around on her favourite surface during the clay court tour. However, her prowess on clay or her experience as the two-time Stuttgart Open champion was not enough for the World No. 2 to overpower Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals of the tournament this year. 

With yet another victory, the Latvian has improved her dominating head-to-head record over Swiatek to 6-0. There has rarely ever been a matchup like the one between Swiatek and Ostapenko, where a much lower-ranked player has a dominating record over a long-running top-three-ranked player and multiple-time Grand Slam champion.

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24th-ranked Ostapenko has now defeated Swiatek on all surfaces, with this victory being her first one on clay. Ostapenko reminded everyone that although Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, is a great clay-court player, so is she, having reigned champion at the 2017 French Open. 

She’s a great clay court player as well. But you know, I won French Open. So I can say the same thing about myself.

Jelena Ostapenko said during post-match interview

Ostapenko will next face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semifinals of the Stuttgart Open. Alexandrova, who is yet to drop a set in the tournament, has had a pretty strong run so far, defeating higher-ranked players like Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula on her way to the semifinals. While Ostapenko entered the quarterfinals with a 5-0 record over Swiatek, she will be entering the semifinals with a 5-5 record over the Russian. 

Jelena Ostapenko defeats Iga Swiatek in three sets at the Stuttgart Open quarterfinals

Iga Swiatek committed quite a few double faults in the first set, as Jelena Ostapenko broke her serve to take a 4-0 lead, clinching the first set 6-3 with 10 winners. The Pole turned things around in the second set as she finally started to construct more points and rallies that went her way. She fended off several break points to close the set 6-3 and force a decider. 

Iga Swiatek Stuttgart Open
Iga Swiatek (via X/The Tennis Letter)

I think today was a tight match, so for sure I had my chances to win. Before, like, for sure, like, these matches were different. Like, she went for it, and she was smashing every ball kind of perfectly.
Today she didn’t, she made some mistakes. I had my chances. I just didn’t use them.

Iga Swiatek said via Stuttgart press

Ostapenko, in a repeat of the first set, went back to quickly ripping backhand winners in the decider, especially on Swiatek’s shorter second serves. The Latvian jumped to a 3-0 lead, eventually sealing the victory 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Death, taxes and Jelena Ostapenko beating Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek and Jelena Ostapenko had met four times before on hard court and once on grass, all ending in favor of the Latvian. Their first meeting was in 2019 at the round of 32 in the Birmingham Open, where Ostapenko won in straight sets, even bagelling Swiatek in the first set.

Their second meeting was at the 2022 Indian Wells, where Ostapenko defeated Swiatek again in straight sets in the round of 16. They next met in the 2022 Dubai Open, but this time Ostapenka defeated Swiatek in three sets. 

Iga Swiatek Jelena Ostapenka Qatar Open
Iga Swiatek and Jelena Ostapenka (via X)

Swiatek entered the 2023 US Open as the defending champion, however, she lost in straight sets to Ostapenko in the round of 16. Swiatek and Ostapenko met earlier this year as well at the Qatar Open, where Swiatek entered as the three-time defending champion.

The Qatar Open had for a long time been Swiatek’s comeback tournament after a disappointing Australian Open swing, however, Ostapenko once again defeated Swiatek in straight sets, ending her hopes for a comeback, which Swiatek has still not made two months later.

After a failed title defense at the Qatar Open and Indian Wells this season, it will be interesting to see if Swiatek can regain her form and defend her Madrid Open title, the next tournament in which she will be playing.