05 September 2023 , 21:21
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Jelena Ostapenko criticised the scheduling of her quarter-final clash with Coco Gauff after crashing out of the 2023 US Open.
In the Round of 16 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Ostapenko upset World No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek in a thrilling three-set contest. The Latvian slipped a set down before battling back and exceptionally securing a 3-6 6-3 6-1 victory.
However, US Open scheduling meant Ostapenko was forced to face American star Gauff immediately after her gruelling clash with Swiatek. The World No. 21 expressed her surprise at the match being scheduled first as she had been told the day before by Flushing Meadows organisers that it would be played during the night session.
In the end, Ostapenko was comfortably defeated by Gauff to kick off the singles order of play on Tuesday. The World No. 6 19-year-old dropped only two games as she swept through Ostapenko in the 6-0 6-2 victory.
After the match, Ostapenko was naturally frustrated. She did not feel the organisers allowed her to recover and compete at her best level against Gauff, the home favourite.
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“I felt like I didn’t recover from that night,” Ostapenko told reporters. “Because as I said, I got back to the hotel around 2 a.m. and even I tried to go to sleep at 3 a.m., but I had all this adrenaline and it was impossible to fall asleep. Then when you go to sleep at 5 or 6 in the morning, you need a few days just to recover. I think it’s a little bit crazy.
“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.
Jelena Ostapenko was furious with US Open organisers after her loss to Coco Gauff (Getty Images)“I think the schedule was better for her because obviously she played much earlier the day I played night session.”
The Latvian added: “When the schedule came out, I saw I’m playing first match and was, like, ‘Wow, that’s a little bit strange scheduling.’ I was surprised. Not in a good way.”
Since losing in the first round at Wimbledon earlier this summer, Gauff has won 13 of her last 14 matches - and dropped just four sets across the run. She is enjoying an incredible run of form throughout the hard-court season and will hope it translates to a maiden Grand Slam victory in New York.
Gauff will play Sorana Cirstea or Karolina Muchova in the US Open semifinals in New York.