(Video) Jelena Ostapenko Furiously Hits the Ball at her Australian Open Opponent in a Tense Moment

Jelena Ostapenko got herself in an embarrassing situation at the Australian Open after hitting a shot at her opponent’s face, Laura Siegemund, in their women’s doubles match in Melbourne. The 2027 French Open champion’s shot left Siegemund red-faced after the hit in their quarter-finals tie at the first Grand Slam of the season.

Ostapenko partnered with Hsieh Su-wei in the women’s doubles of the Australian Open. The duo won their opening match before getting an easy pass in the second round after Anastasia Potapova and Olga Danilovic withdrew from the clash ahead of time, which gave the Latvian and Taiwanese star more time to work together on their tactics.

On Monday (January 26), the duo faced Laura Siegemund and Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin. Ostapenko and Su-wei were in form control of the game after breaking their opponents twice in the first set. In the second set, they were running away with the lead until the seventh game of the match.

Ostapenko and Su-wei were leading 6-3, 5-1 but were down 15-30 when a shocking incident happened on the court. Ostapenko had charged close to the net with a powerful two-handed backhand shot straight to Siegemund’s body. But the German star was quick to react, keeping the ball in play by hitting an alward forehand shot.

Ostapenko then followed up with another fierce backhand shot, this time striking Siegemund on the face. The force of the shot knocked Siegemund to the court, while her racket slipped away from her hands. After a few seconds, she regained herself and rose to her feet. However, her partner Kenin rushed on her, while Ostapenko offered an apology.

Jelena Ostapenko just nailed Laura Siegemund in the face. pic.twitter.com/jtA8Q7CEo5

— BRISBANE CHAMP! (@hsieh_n_wong) January 26, 2026

The Stuttgart Open champion and Su-wei went on to win 6-3, 6-2, booking their place in the fourth round of the Australian Open. The duo reached the final of the event last year after an excellent display on the court, but they were denied the title as American star Taylor Townsend and Czech player Katerina Siniakova defeated them.

The duo were expected to face Siniakova and Townsend in the semi-finals, which would have been a rematch of last year’s final. But Townsend and Siniakova fell to the seventh-seeded duo Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic. This may in some way make it easier for Ostapenko and Su-wei to reach another Grand Slam final together.

Jelena Ostapenko opens up about her connection with her doubles partner

At the 2024 Australian Open, Jelena Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-wei were on the opposite team in the final. Ostapenko partnered with Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok, while Su-wei teamed up with Belgium’s Elise Mertens. Ostapenko and her partner lost the match in straight sets, with Su-wei winning it alongside Mertens.

Two years down the line, things have changed and Ostapenko and Su-wei are getting along pretty well on tour. During an interview with The Sitdown via News18, Ostapenko revealed that she has a good vibe and connection with Su-Wei on the court. The Grand Slam winner added she likes Su-wei’s personality:

When you have a good vibe with a person and a good connection, I think it is great. Hsieh and I are having a lot of fun on the court. She is a great personality and I also feel like the more we play, the better we feel as a player, each other.

In addition to the doubles campaign at the Australian Open, Ostapenko also participated in the singles event. The former World No.5 was seeded 24th in the singles draw and opened her campaign against Rebecca Sramkova, winning 6-4, 6-4, but in the second round she shockingly fell to the unseeded Chinese star Wang Xinyu 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 in Melbourne Park.

Also Read: Jannik Sinner Refuses to Look Ahead to a Potential Novak Djokovic Clash at the Australian Open

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