PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 19, 2025

Jelena Ostapenko

Press Conference

J. OSTAPENKO/I. Swiatek

6-3, 3-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Jelena, very solid performance today. Talk us through your thoughts on the match and this edge you have over her in all your matches so far.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Thank you. Yeah, it was a good match. Maybe the second set didn't go my way, but I'm really glad and proud of myself how I was fighting in the third set.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. How would you rate your performance from 1 to 10?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think I was playing to maybe 8 or 9 today pretty well. I mean, I could probably win in two sets because second set I started to rush a little bit, but in general, I think I was playing well.

Q. I was watching the warmup today that you did. Maybe I'm wrong, but I felt you probably were trying to focus a lot on the forehand side. Was probably something you were thinking about to put in the match? Or was just a normal warmup for you?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: It was a normal warmup (smiling).

Q. Can I ask you about your match plan? When you go and play Iga or anybody else, do you have a match plan? Do you go there and think, I'm going to do this and that? Or are you more a player that sort of plays intuitively, takes the ball and then decides what to do?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, of course I do have a game plan. Obviously I'm not going to say that in front of anyone (smiling).

But, yeah, of course I'm ready for everyone, and I watch the opponents how they played the previous matches. Yes, of course I have a game plan.

Q. Can I ask you what the game plan was against Iga today?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I'm not opening the secrets. But the main thing is to stay aggressive.

Q. Did you notice something special on the tactics of Iga today? Because you have already 6-0 against her, so I guess all the sports news is going to talk about it today. That's first. Maybe you can answer.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, she was trying to do a few things different that I realized today. Obviously I was ready for it, and I was waiting that she will try to do something different, but still it didn't work.

Yeah, I'm really glad and proud of myself how I was dealing with all those things, even she was trying to play different.

Q. Going into the game with 5-0 on head-to-head against a player like Iga, what's bigger? Self-confidence or nerves maybe?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, of course she's a great player, obviously. To play against her is a tough battle. Every time I'm expecting a tough battle. But I think in deciding moments I kind of knew that I will have the chances to win this match.

Q. I absolutely love your T-shirt. Are you still designing fashion? It's what you did for a while. Is it still something you do?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Thank you. This is like our merch, my merch that is coming out soon. It's still in process, but yeah, it's kind of trial T-shirts I made (smiling).

Q. How much important was in your game today, like, starting the third set, like, ahead? You immediately find your game back again. So the first game was probably very important for you, or is one point you have to do after the other?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, the second set I probably didn't play very well, so when I was in the changeover I told myself, Doesn't matter, we forget the second set. Doesn't matter what happened. Just start third set from the beginning from first point and see what happens. I will play my game and see what happens.

Q. Your clay start of the season is fantastic. How do you see the next tournaments coming from here? Of course you still have a match against Alexandrova tomorrow. How do you see your season, knowing how your form is today?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think I'm improving day by day, and obviously I did a good preseason. But maybe like a few matches didn't really go my way, but obviously it's hard to say because in Adelaide I lost against Madison who won Australian Open and so she had amazing runs.

Yeah, but I feel like I'm improving day by day. Even I played three sets, but I think I played against really good players like today and the day before.

So, yeah, I'm on the right path.

Q. You have been on the tour for so long now. You're only 24. I was wondering, when you go back to Latvia, have people picked up tennis because of you? Did you start sort of grassroots movement there? Because you're so famous, and you're probably one of the most famous sports star in Latvia, I think. Is there something coming after you? Do people take you as, I don't know, as a role model?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think after I won the French Open, so many kids started to practice tennis and all tennis clubs were full, and it was really nice to see that.