Jelena Ostapenko rubs salt in Iga Swiatek’s wounds by congratulating Aryna Sabalenka on becoming the new World No.1

Jelena Ostapenko shares her feelings on the World No. 1 ranking

Jelena Ostapenko rubs salt in Iga Swiatek’s wounds by congratulating Aryna Sabalenka on becoming the new World No.1

Jelena Ostapenko (L), Iga Swiatek (Centre) and Aryna Sabalenka (R) (Credits: Tennis.com, The New York Times, Tennis365)

The WTA announced that Aryna Sabalenka has overtaken Iga Swiatek to become the new WTA World No. 1. The rankings will be officially released on Monday, September 11, following the completion of the US Open.

Iga Swiatek’s reign has come to an end as the 22-year-old got ousted by 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko in the US Open. It was the Latvian’s fifth win over Swiatek as he continues to dominate the soon-to-be second-seeded player. Ostapenko rallied from a set down to defeat world No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the US Open quarterfinals.

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Swiatek only had an 11-point lead against the Belarusian. Therefore, all Sabalenka had to do was outperform the Polish player at the US Open. Swiatek’s position was weakened due to early exits in Toronto and Cincinnati. This brings an end to the Pole’s consecutive 75-week stint in the No. 1 spot. Sabalenka will be crowned the World No. 1 for the first time in her career on 11th September.

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To add insult to injury, Ostapenko was seen congratulating Sabalenka on becoming the World No. 1 on social media. She wrote, “Congratulations, girl! So happy for you.”

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Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinals of the US Open

Jelena Ostapenko (Credits: USOpen.org)
Jelena Ostapenko (Credits: USOpen.org)

The tennis professional enjoyed a memorable US Open, with all of her matches going the distance. She ousted Jasmine Paolini, Elena Avanesyan, and Bernarda Pera en route to the fourth round of the tournament.

She knocked out the defending champion, Iga Swiatek. Ostapenko outclassed the World No. 1 in three sets: 3-6, 6-3, and 6-1. The 20th seed has shown her potential with a 66.6% victory rate this season. She has a formidable game that can trouble any opponent and is known for her gutsy and aggressive style.

She will be facing sixth seed Coco Gauff in a battle to secure her position in the semi-finals of the US Open. She has met Gauff twice, with the results being equally divided. Their head-to-head stands at 1-1 currently. She defeated Gauff in their most recent meeting at the Australian Open this year. 

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