Ostapenko upsets Gauff to reach Australian Open quarterfinals

2023 Australian Open 12 hrs ago

2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko's deepest run at the Australian Open run continued with a fourth-round win over No.7 seed Coco Gauff.

By WTA Staff

No.17 seed Jelena Ostapenko moved through to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Sunday for the first time in her career with a 7-5, 6-3 win over No.7 seed Coco Gauff at Melbourne Park.

In her first fourth-round appearance at the Australian Open, Ostapenko needed 93 minutes to move on. She'll next face reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina for a spot in the semifinals. Rybakina upset World No.1 Iga Swiatek in their fourth-round match.

Ostapenko clocked 30 winners and saved seven of the eight break points she faced, while going a perfect 3-for-3 on her chances against Gauff's serve. 

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The win is Ostapenko's first over a Top 10 player at a Grand Slam in three years, and it'll be her first Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance since 2018. 

"My life changed a lot [after winning Roland Garros], so I needed a few years to really get used to what happened because I was really young," Ostapenko said. "I was 19 and then turned 20. 

"I always knew and believed in my game. If I play well, I can beat almost anyone. I was trying to work more on my consistency, especially in the preseason. Yeah, just to step on the court and play my game.

"I think I'm doing it quite well this week."

Match management: Gauff let six break point chances go by in the first set after being the first player to break serve. She led 2-1, but Ostapenko broke back immediately for 2-2. From there, the Latvian saved two break points as 2-2, and crucially, four at 3-3 -- including 0-40. 

Gauff had two game points to force a tiebreak, but lost serve for a second time to fall a set behind. Ostapenko then saved the only break point she faced in the second set in the opening game.

Gauff was pushed past deuce in each of her first three service games of the set -- never facing break point -- before surrendering the decisive break in the eighth game. 

Quarterfinal outlook: Ostapenko is 2-0 in her career against Rybakina, having only lost 11 games in two matches. Their last meeting came on grass last year in Eastbourne, a 6-4, 6-1 win for the Latvian before Rybakina went on to win at the All-England Club.

"I'm just trying to take one match at a time and not to look the draw completely," Ostapenko said. "So try to prepare as good as possible for every match. 

"Of course, it's going to be a hard match against Elena, but we played a couple of times, and I know how to play against her. I'm just going to try to focus more on myself and on my game, and hopefully I can bring the good and aggressive game again."