11 July 2024 07:07 am Views - 56
Jelena Ostapenko dramatically banished her own coach from the No.1 Court during her Wimbledon quarter-final match against Barbora Krejcikova.
Ostapenko was seen trying to dismiss someone from her box during the second set – but they all initially remained – which only increased her frustrations.
Ostapenko’s coach did eventually leave and it seemed to work in her favour as she went up a level but it was too late as Krejcikova eventually won 6-4 7-6 (7-4).
Tennis fans have been loving the incident on social media as @bkelly776 posted on X: ‘Ostapenko telling her coach to do one out of the directors box and then breaking serve to save the match.’
‘Ostapenko banishing her coach from the stands I’m cackling,’ a second tennis fan, @LouisStaples, said.
Meanwhile, Ostapenko has recently struck up an unlikely friendship with American rapper Lil Wayne, which has caught the headlines at this year’s Championships.
Lil Wayne thanked Ostapenko for showing ‘luv’ after she publicly said she preferred his music to another rapper, Drake, and watched him perform live.
Ostapenko was delighted with his shoutout and revealed that the pair have been exchanging text messages, with the tennis star even inviting the musician to watch her play after her win over Ajla Tomljanovic at Wimbledon this year.
But it’s all over for Ostapenko at the Championships as Krejcikova recorded victory on Wednesday to reach the second Grand Slam semi-final of her career.
The last time Krejcikova enjoyed a run to the last four of a major tournament, she won the 2021 French Open.
The Czech star faces a tough match in the Wimbledon semi-finals, though, as she locks horns with 2022 champion Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina knocked out Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in Wednesday’s other quarter-final in the women’s singles.
The second semi-final will see Italy’s Jasmine Paolini take on unseeded Croatian Donna Vekic on Thursday.