ROLAND GARROS

May 29, 2023

Jelena Ostapenko

Press Conference

J. OSTAPENKO/T. Martincova

6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Jelena, congratulations. This is a very special place for you, obviously. Tell us how happy you are with that win today.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Thank you. Yeah, obviously it's a great place to be, and I have great memories. It's never easy first rounds. Today was not easy, especially in the second set.

Yeah, I came back from 1-5, so I'm really happy that I managed it. Yeah, as I said, first rounds are never easy.

Q. Explain technically and mentally how did you come back from this second set? What advice do you give to the other players who also want to come back from 1-5?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think the advantage was obviously I won the first set, of course, but I really was fighting hard. I said to myself, I'm not going to give her the set, I will fight until the very last point, and she has to earn it to win it.

So I was just fighting. I really did not want to play the third set, so I tried to do everything possible to win the second set.

And I think when it was 5-5, I mentally really not knew, but I felt that the match will be mine.

Q. It's a nice way to celebrate your new national holiday somehow. How proud are you of the hockey team?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Of course, I'm really proud of the guys. I mean, they're great. I have a lot of friends on the team playing.

When I was back home, I went for the game against Switzerland. I mean, it was amazing. I'm really happy for them.

They are working so hard. They are such nice guys. Yeah, our country has to be proud because we're such a small country, but we have such an amazing achievement. Yeah, they did a great job.

Q. You are one of my favorite players to watch on the tour, but we never know what to expect from you. We do not know if you'll have a good day or a bad day. Do you know?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, honestly, probably all of the players have more bad days than good days. It's normal. I mean, you cannot have every single day good day, but the most important is even if it's not your day to manage it and to -- from a bad day to make it a good day.

So that's, I think, what matters a lot. That's what makes players to be on the top.

Q. As well as being a great tennis player, lots of people say you are a big character and personality on the tour as well in terms of how you express yourself and how you dress and how you play. Do you see yourself as a big personality and character, and if so, why do you think you are such a big personality?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, I always wanted to be different from everyone. Of course, I'm very emotional on court sometimes, and maybe sometimes I don't do the right things, but it's very hard for me because I'm in general an emotional person.

And when I play, of course, I'm working on it. But when I play, of course, also I feel that I can achieve a lot of things. And I'm a perfectionist too, so if something doesn't really go my way, I really get pissed, and this gets into emotions because I really want to make it perfect, but you cannot always make it perfect. Because, as I said, probably there are more bad days for athletes because we're tired and jet lag and all the things. The most important is to make from a bad day a good day.

Yeah, for the clothes also I want to make something special because I like it, and I like to design things with the girl that is owning a brand. So I think it's a lot of fun.

Also, if I want to do something in future, maybe not the sports clothes, but some normal clothes, just casual, so maybe it's a good try to prepare for that.

Q. Not many people know how to win Roland Garros and lift the title, but you do. So tell us, how do you win Roland Garros?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, it was already six years ago, but of course, it was such an amazing time. My goal is, of course, to win another Grand Slam because, as I said, it was six years ago, so a little while ago, so I want to play again.

I'm working hard, and I feel like I had a good run in Rome. So, yeah, I think I'm on the right path. If I play well, I think I can be a dangerous player, so I hope I stay here as long as I can.

Q. I'm sorry if you're tired of this question, but in March your Olympic committee decided to take your support. Was it more financial or emotional blow, and is there any update about this subject to you?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Honestly, I was not thinking much about this, but the only thing I can say that I don't make tournaments and I'm not working in a WTA organization to make any decisions. If I was working there, maybe I could change it. But in that case what they said if I don't play any tournaments, then obviously I can finish my career, which I think is crazy because it's kind of my job.

Yeah, but after they changed the decision, and it is as it is now.