US OPEN

September 5, 2023

Jelena Ostapenko

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/J. Ostapenko

6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Not the result that you would have wanted. Can you just reflect on the match for us, if you could.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, today was not really good match from me. I think it's really hard to recover from those night matches, because after beating world No. 1, I went to sleep at, like, 5:00 in the morning, and still, you sleep for, I don't know, maybe like seven, eight hours, but you completely don't recover. Yesterday the whole day I felt very low energy. I thought today I was, like, going to wake up and feel better. But honestly, I didn't really feel much better.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Obviously you're a very aggressive player, but I'm curious whether the heat played a role in some of the unforced errors?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Not really the heat, but it was very hard to see the ball, because half of the court was in the shadow and half was in the sun. Some balls I didn't really see, like, where they were flying. So I was trying to, like, focus on where is the ball. It was really hard to see, especially on the returns, I felt like I was reacting too late because of the shadow.

Q. How was Coco different today than other times you have either seen her play or played against her?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Honestly there were so many games where I had chances and I missed some, really, as I think, easy balls, and I think my concentration was not there comparing to the matches I played.

I think she was also very nervous today. I mean, still, the score is what it is. But there were so many games deuce, advantage, deuce, advantage, that I could really win.

Q. You seemed disappointed with your effort. When you say your concentration wasn't there, is that just because you were tired, as you mentioned before, or was there something else going on?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I didn't really feel physically very tired, but I felt like I didn't really recover from that night. Because as I said, I got back to the hotel around, like, 2:00 a.m. and even I tried to go to sleep at 3:00 in the morning but I had all this adrenaline and it was impossible to fall asleep.

Then when you go to sleep at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning, the whole day where you need a few days just to recover. I think it's a little bit crazy.

Q. You just said "it's a little bit crazy." Are you referring to scheduling? If so, what do you suggest?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, if I play a match, like, a late-night session, then I suppose in one day I have to play at least at the same time or later on, because you don't really have much time to recover. Even you have this day in between, but you still need to practice, to do your things, to do the treatment and stuff.

So I think it was better for her the schedule, because obviously she played much earlier the day I played night session.

Q. Were you asked about the scheduling before it was released, and were you surprised when you found out?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: The thing was that when I asked the day before, I was pretty sure I'm gonna play at night session, because that's what they told me.

When the schedule came out, I saw I'm playing first match and was, like, wow, that's a little bit strange scheduling.

Q. Is this the quickest turnaround you have experienced at a Grand Slam?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Honestly, I thought at least maybe I play second where I thought our match will be interesting match and they would probably put it as a night session, especially she is from here.

Yeah, when I saw the schedule I was a little bit surprised, not in a really good way.

Q. Despite the frustrations you had, the hug and the embrace with her at the net, how was that bond at the net with her? What did your coach and your trainer talk to you about after the match in terms of you dealing with this quick crazy turnaround?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I didn't talk to anyone after the match yet. I just went to shower and, yeah, stretch a little bit so I didn't see anyone after the match yet.

Q. Obviously you weren't capable of playing the way you wanted to with the quick turnaround, but I'm curious, have you noticed a growth in her game from the last...

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Honestly I was expecting a little bit more from her today. I felt like she had a little bit, like, a lot of pressure because obviously to play at home is not easy, as I experienced it before myself.

But yeah, I think she maybe changed a little bit the tactics. She's a great player, she's still very young. But I mean, as I said, the score is what it is, but so many games, especially in the second set, I had so many chances and I was missing the balls which I normally am not missing. Yeah.

Q. When you said they told you that the match would be a night match, that was yesterday?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: No, that was I think after the match I played, I think.

Q. Right after? Okay.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah.

Q. Is that common that they tell you the match is going to take place at one time and then to switch it up?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, you never know with the people who are doing schedule, because sometimes you feel like you better don't ask anything, because sometimes it's working your way or sometimes it's working against you completely.

It depends where and how it's gonna work (smiling).

Q. Despite today, once again, you beating Iga and always showing that you're a threat to anybody on tour, is that still the biggest takeaway for you is no matter what tournament, I can still win a second Grand Slam and still be so dangerous to anybody?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, of course, I believe I can win another Grand Slam. As I said, I didn't have much time to recover, and yeah, in general I have to be happy with the week and with few weeks and just move forward.

Yeah, of course I'm disappointed about today, because I really feel like I didn't even play half of what I played the whole tournament, so yeah.