Jelena Ostapenko says she never wants the person who umpired her clash with Victoria Azarenka at the Brisbane International to officiate another match of hers again.
The Latvian world No.12 reacted angrily to a decision made by umpire Julie Kjendlie during the closing stages of her quarter-final clash which she lost 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. In the third set, Ostapenko claimed that a ball bounced more than once on Azarenka’s side of the net. However, Kjendlie ruled that this was not the case and awarded the point to the Belarussian who moved ahead 5-4. A decision that did not go down too well with the former French Open champion.
“You make so much mistake. With three bounces. I never want you on my match again,” Ostapenko said to the umpire during a changover.
“You will never be on my match. You will never be on my match. I don’t want you on my matches. You ruin my match,” she added.
The 26-year-old also referred to a previous run-in she had with the umpire in Linz back in 2019. She reached the final of that tournament before losing 6-3, 1-6, 6-2, to Coco Gauff.
“Final in Linz I will never forget. Never,” she was heard saying.
Following that dispute, there were two holds of serves before Azarenka broke to take the match. It is the first time she has reached the last four of a WTA event since the Australian Open last year.
“With Jelena, sometimes you just have to put on (a) helmet and try to stay in there. She’s an incredible player and we’ve seen it many times,” said Azarenka who produced 45 winners.
“She’s a Grand Slam champion. She proved many times that she can beat anybody on any given day so she’s always very, very dangerous.”
“I thought the quality of tennis was incredible and to be able to go through this match and fight for every point … I had to bring out my game, I had to push her, so I’m very proud,” She added.
Awaiting Azarenka in the last four will be Elena Rybakina in what will be a battle of the former Grand Slam champions. Rybakina was leading Anastasia Potapova 6-1 before the Russian was forced to withdraw due to an abdominal injury.
The winner of this week’s Brisbane International will earn $220,000 in prize money and 500 ranking points.
