Jelena Ostapenko pays tribute to idol Serena Williams after knocking out elder sister Venus

Jelena Ostapenko staves off Venus Williams comeback, pays tribute to Serena

Jelena Ostapenko pays tribute to idol Serena Williams after knocking out elder sister Venus

Serena Williams, Jelena Ostapenko (Image via New York Magazine, WTA Tennis)

Jelena Ostapenko was effusive in her praise for her idol Serena Williams after defeating the latter’s elder sister Venus Williams in a thrilling three-set match in Birmingham on Thursday. The Latvian won 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to progress to the quarterfinals.

After the match, Jelena Ostapenko said that Serena Williams had always been her idol. She said that she loved the way Williams played tennis, with all of the emotions. Ostapenko said that she hoped to become an idol for other kids.

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“My idol was always Serena. I was always watching her. The way she was on the court, firing it up and all the emotions. I really love it. I think that’s what makes tennis a great game. I’m older now. I hope I can be an idol for some young kids,” Ostapenko said.

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Jelena Ostapenko and Serena Wiliams’ sole encounter

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Jelena Ostapenko (L) and Serena Williams (R) (Image Credits : Getty)

The only time that 23-time Grand Slam Singles champion Serena Williams and Jelena Ostapenko had squared off was in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier between the United States and Latvia.

Williams, the unquestionable GOAT of women’s tennis, played Ostapenko in the second match of the tie after Sofia Kenin had given Team USA a 1-0 lead by defeating Anastasia Sevastova 6-2, 6-2. Williams won a close match 7-6(4), 7-6(3) to give her team a 2-0 lead. The Latvian fought back to win the next two singles matches, but the United States won the decisive doubles fixture to take the tie.

Jelena Ostapenko eyes second career grass court title at Birmingham

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Jelena Ostapenko (L) and Venus Williams (R) in a warm handshake after their match at The Birmingham Classic. Ostapenko won 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

The 2017 French Open champion is in pursuit of her second career grass-court title at the ongoing 2023 Birmingham Classic. The former World No. 5 was the 2021 champion at Eastbourne International.

Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, who trailed for the most part in the opening two sets, snatched the second set despite being a match point down. The Latvian however, regrouped herself in the decider and scored her first win against the tennis legend after two previous failed attempts.

Ostapenko set up a quarterfinal clash with Polish qualifier Magdalena Frech and the winner of that match will face either fourth seed Anastasia Potapova or Harriet Dart in the semifinals.

The 26-year-old from Latvia will seek to go into the deeper stages of the warm-up events before heading to the Wimbledon Championships, where she had reached the last eight in 2017 and the last four in 2018.

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