US OPEN

September 6, 2024

Lyudmyla Kichenok

Jelena Ostapenko

Press Conference

KICHENOK-OSTAPENKO/Mladenovic-Shuai

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Ladies, before we take questions, if each of you could just tell us your thoughts on the win.

LYUDMYLA KICHENOK: Still goose bumps after we went out of the court and feels amazing first time we win the Grand Slam.

Just trying to digest it still (smiling).

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, it's amazing. The whole week was really amazing, and especially to play in New York. I feel like we played really well. We didn't lose one set during the tournament (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Congratulations. I read that you two first played a final in an ITF in 2013. I'm curious, do you remember anything about that match? But secondly, what would you tell the younger versions of yourself from that match now that you have this trophy?

LYUDMYLA KICHENOK: Wow. Yeah, actually, I remember the tournament. It was on artificial grass in Italy, a 25K, and we won that final, I remember. And since then I knew that Jelena is going to be a really great player in singles, yeah, in general, a great player.

What would I say to ourselves then? Just believe in yourself, don't listen to anyone who is telling you that you cannot do something. Trust your game, trust yourself, and just go for it.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I think Lyuda said pretty much. I just remember it was artificial grass, which was very strange surface. Yeah, I don't remember much more.

But I think the main thing is to believe in yourself and just work hard. Yeah, just don't listen to all haters. They will always be there (smiling).

Q. Congratulations. Can you tell us a little bit more about the wedding. It was supposed to be two days ago?

LYUDMYLA KICHENOK: Yeah.

Q. How long you've been planning for that date and where it was supposed to be?

LYUDMYLA KICHENOK: Thank you. Well, it was, like, pretty -- we decided, like, when we got here to New York, my boyfriend Stas, he checked where we can do it, because we got engaged, like, more than a year ago. We were figuring out all the things, where we can do that. And, yeah, he found a spot here and he just booked an appointment for Wednesday. (Laughter.)

He told me that. I was, like, okay, yeah, let's go. Just, you know, this procedure when you sign the papers, just to do that. Yeah, we actually set a date, but I had to play semifinals on Wednesday, and I said, okay, maybe next time.

And, yeah, didn't happen. But, yeah, we're going to do it somewhere somehow.

Q. So the plan was going to be in New York then?

LYUDMYLA KICHENOK: I'm not sure. No plan yet. Maybe Las Vegas or in Europe somewhere.

Q. In doubles where players sort of change partners a lot, you two have played together fairly consistently for a long time. As we said, many years also. I'm curious what makes you two so effective together? What has sort of kept you together?

LYUDMYLA KICHENOK: Just as you said, because we play for so long together, we know each other so well.

By the time we play, like, with every match, we get this experience, we play better, and we know the opponents, we know ourselves, we know how it works.

It works pretty well then.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, I mean, we feel each other quite well. Obviously we know each other for so long, so I think it's only, like, advantages. Because a lot of players, as you said, yeah, they are changing partners a lot. So there is not much consistency. But I think, as I said, yeah, we know each other and feel each other already, like, way better than maybe some other doubles players.

LYUDMYLA KICHENOK: Yeah, on and off the court, we know each other so well, so since that time when we played together first time (smiling).

Q. What's going through your mind in that service game where it went on for 10 minutes, they had won a few games in a row to tie the match. Are you feeling the pressure there at all or are you getting tired from serving that many times?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I was just thinking that I did it already once in singles, so why I wouldn't serve out the match, so I was, like, I just need few good serves and the match is done. I was pretty confident in my serve.

LYUDMYLA KICHENOK: I just came to Jelena after first point of second and told her, Just remember, you are Jelena Ostapenko, you are the best. You have to win it. (Laughter.)