SUMMARY
- Jelena Ostapenko is a well-known Latvian tennis star.
- Ostapenko's father was a Ukrainian soccer star.
Jelena Ostapenko is a tennis player from Latvia. She established herself as a prodigy when she made her professional debut and has since been a bit of an enigma. Ostapenko is known for her fiery brand of tennis, and she owes much of her success to her parents.
Jelena etched her name in history when she became the youngest player ever to win the French Open in 2017. Since then, however, the Latvian star has not been able to replicate her success in major tournaments. Nevertheless, Ostapenko remains an exciting player to watch, and her on-court antics are amusing, to say the least.
Ostapenko recently dedicated her first victory of the 2024 season to her father, Jevgenijs Ostapenko. She took on Camila Giorgi in the opening round at Brisbane International and got past her 6-1, 6-4. Following the match, Jelena shared a heartfelt note on social media, dedicating it to Jevgenijs.
Jelena Ostapenko with a special message to his dad, who passed away 4 years ago 😢 pic.twitter.com/nQQjGJfC87
— Mario Boccardi (@marioboc17) January 3, 2024
Jevgenijs was a Ukrainian soccer player who played for the club FC Metalurh Zaporizhya. Unfortunately, he passed away on January 12, 2020.
Jevgenijs was also Jelena’s fitness coach and played a great role in shaping her career at the elite level. His death left a great void in Ostapenko’s life.
You were there since Day 1. Unfortunately, life can take away your loved ones…you realize what you miss the most when it’s not there anymore. Dear Dad, you will stay forever in my heart! Love you! ♥️🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/1ILMLnkoxV
— Jelena Ostapenko (@JelenaOstapenk8) January 12, 2020
Jelena Ostapenko is one of the fiercest competitors on the tour when she gets going. However, consistency has been a bit of an issue with the player throughout her career. Despite her issues, Ostapenko credits her parents for much of her success.
Who are the parents of Jelena Ostapenko, and what is her nationality?
Jelena was born on June 8, 1997, in Riga, Latvia. Ostapenko’s prowess with a racket propelled her to international fame, as she won the French Open.
Jelena’s father, Jevgenijs, was Ukrainian, while her mother, Jeļena Jakovleva, is Russian. Despite Ostapenko’s mixed ancestry, Jelena is Latvian by birth.
Both Jakovleva and Jevgenijs played an instrumental role in Jelena’s career. Jakovleva was her first coach, and her advice is still valuable to the French Open champion. Jevgenijs was also her fitness coach, and his death affected Jelena greatly.
Jelena Ostapenko has been on a captivating journey in her career and in life so far. She has witnessed a lot of ups and downs in her career, like any other player. However, each time, she has come back stronger.