The Latvian, winner of Roland-Garros in 2017, defeated the young American in the round of 16 in Melbourne.
Jelena Ostapenko, 17th in the world, dominated Sunday in Melbourne the American Coco Gauff (7th) 7-5, 6-3 and will play her first quarter-final of the Australian Open against the Kazakh Elena Rybakina (25th).
The Latvian Jelena Ostapenko summed up after a fiery match (30 winning moves): I had nothing to lose. I had come to play each point, to have fun. I always wanted to stay positive, I had to stay inhabited by the desire to beat her and I had it. Even if I missed a shot, I had to keep the same path, put her under pressure and she broke down »
Ostapenko, champion at Roland-Garros in 2017, had never passed the third round in the Australian Major.
For Ostapenko, it’s a comeback. The surprise winner of Roland-Garros 2017 had not reached a Grand Slam quarter-final since 2018, at Wimbledon.