Ostapenko confronts opponent's coach after tense US Open doubles win
Jelena Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-wei reached the US Open women's doubles quarter-finals and Ostapenko challenged the opposing coach’s conduct during the match.
Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open singles champion, and Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the US Open women's doubles quarter-finals by beating Maya Joint and Chan Hao-ching 6-4 6-4. The victory was marred by a dispute when Ostapenko signaled to the umpire that the opposing coach was repeatedly clapping, shouting, and sarcastically praising mistakes in Chinese. Hsieh translated the coach’s remarks for Ostapenko, who described the conduct as "very disrespectful" and requested a Chinese translator’s presence.
The umpire agreed to intervene, after which the Latvian-Taiwanese pair completed the match and secured the win. Ostapenko celebrated by shouting toward the opponent’s box, and neither side offered a handshake after the heated encounter. This incident adds to Ostapenko’s history of on-court confrontations, including a previous verbal clash at last year’s US Open.
Why it matters
The incident highlights sportsmanship concerns and on-court tension at a major tennis tournament.
How this story developed
- Sep 1 Coco Gauff heads to the US Open after revamping her serve and forehand
- Sep 4 Coco Gauff is now set to headline Thursday's evening session at the US Open.
- Sep 4 Serena and Venus Williams will team up in the first round of the U.S. Open women's doubles on Friday night.
- Sep 4 World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka halted her third-round US Open match after detecting a strong smell she said was marijuana, prompting officials to investigate.
- Sep 4 Officials consulted and resumed the match after the pause.
- Sep 5 The Williams sisters were eliminated in the first round.
- Sep 5 Doubles competition starts and the Williams sisters could return Friday against Hao‑Ching Chan and Maya Joint.
- Sep 6 Williams sisters entered the tournament on a late wildcard.
- Sep 6 Alexander Zverev is scheduled to play after Gauff’s match.
- Sep 7 Poland's Iga Świątek was defeated by China's Qinwen Zheng 5-7, 3-6, ending her US Open run.
- Sep 7 Elena Rybakina beat Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-4 in the US Open round of 16, ending Osaka's campaign.
- Sep 8 Zheng's victory moves her into the quarterfinals.
- Sep 8 Rybakina is now one match away from claiming the world No. 1 ranking.
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