Latvian tennis firebrand Jelena Ostapenko spectacularly crashed out of the US Open, but it was her volcanic on-court behaviour that stole the headlines, not the scoreline. The 2017 French Open champion's tournament ended in a blaze of fury during her women's doubles second-round match.
Partnered with Ukraine's Lyudmyla Kichenok, the pair were defeated by the American duo of Taylor Townsend and Asia Muhammad. However, the real drama unfolded when Ostapenko unleashed a tirade of criticism not at her opponents, but at her own partner and the chair umpire.
A Meltdown For The Highlights Reel
The match reached its boiling point after a crucial point went against the Ostapenko-Kichenok pairing. Visibly incensed, Ostapenko first turned her ire towards the official, vehemently disputing a call. Not stopping there, she then performed a stunning about-face and directed a furious outburst at her own partner, Kichenok, seemingly blaming her for the situation.
This public dressing-down left Kichenok looking visibly stunned and embarrassed on the court, a moment captured by cameras and quickly circulating on social media.
Townsend Seals The Victory Amid Chaos
As if scripted for maximum drama, it was Taylor Townsend who served out the match to claim a 7-6(7), 6-3 victory, sealing Ostapenko's fate and ending her tumultuous run at Flushing Meadows. The composure shown by Townsend and Muhammad stood in stark contrast to the chaos unfolding on the other side of the net.
This incident is far from an isolated one for Ostapenko, who has built a reputation for her fiery temperament and headline-grabbing controversies as much as for her powerful and unpredictable play.
