By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday March 26, 2023
If there was ever a dull moment with Jelena Ostapenko, we’ve missed it. The Latvian just has a way about her.
She was in good form yet again on Saturday in Miami as she scolded the crowd after her 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Players from Brazil get great support in Miami, and Ostapenko didn’t appreciate it, apparently.
“I’m really happy today to win,” Ostapenko said on court after the win. “Of course the crowd was mostly against me – a little bit disrespectful – but thanks guys who were supporting me, I really appreciate it.”
Afterwards Ostapenko talked about her experience in the mixed media zone at the Miami Open.
“The crowd doesn’t know that if they’re against me, I play much better,” she said according to David Kane of Tennis.com. “All I wanted was to win so I could show them that I was the winner of the match. That’s the only thing you can do when you’re playing with this type of crowd.
“In general, it’s a nice tournament, of course, and the atmosphere is really nice. It’s just today that things were a bit too crazy.”
Ostapenko will face Martina Trevisan in the round of 16 at Miami on Monday.