Iga Swiatek’s Most Frustrating Rival Reveals What Serena Williams Has That Most Players Don’t

Remember the 2017 Roland Garros? In a career marked by unpredictability and brilliance, it was only fitting that Jelena Ostapenko’s first GS win came out of nowhere! The Latvian, a former junior Wimbledon champion, had already shown promise with finals appearances in Doha and Charleston. But at Roland Garros, she stunned the world with a fearless 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory, hitting winners at will. Though her Slam success quieted for years, the 27-year-old’s roar back in 2025, clinching Stuttgart and owning a 6-0 record against Iga Swiatek. And now, right before she steps foot in French Clay, she finally reveals why she truly admires Serena Williams. The reason?

At this year’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, the former 5th seed Jelena Ostapenko delivered one of the most impressive performances of the clay season, emphatically capturing the WTA 500 title. What made her triumph even more extraordinary was her path to victory, defeating then-2nd seed Iga Swiatek in the QF, followed by a commanding win over the top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the final. With this feat, Ostapenko became the 1st woman since Serena Williams in 2012 to win a clay court title by toppling both the top two players in the world.

Serena’s iconic run came on Madrid’s controversial blue clay, where she downed second seed Maria Sharapova and top seed Victoria Azarenka en route to the title. Though Williams retired at the 2022 US Open, her legacy continues to inspire. For Ostapenko, Serena represents more than just greatness, she admires her for a reason deeply rooted in Serena’s consistent sportsmanship and grace, both on and off the court.

During her recent Madrid Open campaign, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko shared her thoughts in a heartfelt interview with Roland-Garros.com. Speaking candidly, the Latvian revealed her admiration for athletes who openly express their emotions during competition. “I honestly always like in general, when I watch sports, I always liked emotional people, the people who always show and share their emotions,” she remarked.

Jelena Ostapenko: When I watch sports, I always like emotional people, the people who always show their emotions. I don’t really like people who aren’t showing much emotion because for me, it’s so boring to watch those people doing sports.

Full interview: https://t.co/a4YrYX3lol pic.twitter.com/AaFzqC23Qf

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) May 19, 2025

She didn’t even shy away from expressing her distaste for emotionless performances, adding that such displays feel lackluster to her. “I don’t really like people who are just walking and just not showing much emotions, because for me, it’s so boring to watch those people doing sports. So I’m really like myself always on the court. And I think that’s what people like about me,” she stated and when asked to name the athlete she believes best embodies this emotional transparency, Ostapenko didn’t hesitate to mention tennis icon Serena Williams. “I think Serena is the best so far. She’s like all those emotions, I love them,” she said. True to Ostapenko’s words, Serena Williams’ emotional depth has been a defining part of her legendary career, resonating with fans around the globe throughout her journey.

One powerful example came during Serena Williams’ farewell journey at the 2022 Canadian Open. After losing 2-6, 4-6 to the 12th seed Belinda Bencic, the 23-time GS winner turned visibly emotional during her post-match interview. “It’s been a pretty interesting 24 hours,” she began, voice cracking. “Like I said in my article, I’m terrible at goodbyes, But, goodbye.” Then, with a bittersweet smile, she added, “Toronto. It’s been a joy playing here all of those years.”

And as Serena Williams’ legacy continues to inspire future generations, Ostapenko carries that fire forward. Now ranked 21st and brimming with confidence, she’s set her sights on Roland Garros, warning her rivals with a renewed hunger to reclaim her past glory!

“It’s not about just the ranking,” Jelena Ostapenko opens up about her chances of winning her lost glory

The 2017 Roland Garros champion, Jelena Ostapenko, stands as one of 3 former Roland Garros winners in this year’s draw, joining 4-time champion Iga Swiatek and 2021 winner Barbora Krejcikova. Back in 2017, Ostapenko was ranked 47th in the world and was just 19 years old, making only her 2nd appearance at the clay-court Grand Slam. Remarkably, she had never won a match in Paris before that tournament. But her breakthrough run was nothing short of astonishing, as she toppled top-tier opponents including Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig, former 4th seed Sam Stosur, and Caroline Wozniacki.

In the final, she faced off against 3rd seed, Simona Halep, a heavy favorite who had claimed two top-5 wins on her path to the championship match. Yet, in one of the tournament’s most memorable upsets, Ostapenko stunned the Romanian to capture her maiden GS title. 

Now, 7 years later, the Latvian enters the tournament with renewed clarity and emotional maturity. Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “I think it’s not about just the ranking. I think it’s more about the things I have to work on and the things I was working on, obviously, the last few months as well,” she explained. “And when they click and when everything comes together, the result will be there. It’s not really about the rankings. Before I was very hard on myself and I’m such a perfectionist. So every time I lost a point, I was really like disappointed and then sometimes angry. But now I feel like I’m nicer with myself and it helps a lot.”

Despite her confidence-boosting win in Stuttgart, her momentum took a hit with early exits in both Madrid and Rome. Still, as she arrives in France beaming with pride and emotional growth, the big question remains: can the Latvian defy expectations once again and reclaim Roland Garros glory?

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