SPORTS
is a question fans and pundits are asking after 20-year-old Jelena Ostapenko upset the established tennis order by winning the French Open last month.
'Can she do it again on grass?' is a question fans and pundits are asking after 20-year-old Jelena Ostapenko upset the established tennis order by winning the French Open last month.
But as the hard-hitting Latvian limbers up for Wimbledon, her near contemporary from Russia, Daria Kasatkina, is staking her own claim to carry the standard for the sport's next generation.
Both women had a brush with Simona Halep in Paris, Ostapenko beating the third-seeded Romanian in an unforgettable final while Kasatkina lost in a third-round match that, until nerves apparently intervened, she looked poised to take to a third set.
Born within a month of each other in mid-1997, they also have decent track records at the All England Club.
Kasatkina, whose game relies more on placement and changes of pace than raw power, reached the last 32 in 2016, where she was edged out in three tight sets by eventual semi-finalist Venus Williams.
Ostapenko, who says Wimbledon is her favourite tournament, won the junior title in 2014.
For American Tracy Austin, in the vanguard of the teenage revolution that helped popularise the women's game in the 1980s, the Latvian's emergence as a genuine star from among a host of young hopefuls will have come as no surprise.
HIGH CEILINGS
"So many young kids are used to winning in the juniors and then they come in and they take the hits from the pros. How do they make that transition when they're losing a little bit more?" Austin told Reuters in the run-up to Roland Garros.
"To me, Ostapenko and Kasatkina have very high ceilings and I think it's exciting for women's tennis."
In retaining confidence in her clumping groundstrokes to overpower older and more experienced opponents, the Latvian has leapt across the gap separating the junior from the senior game.
But Austin, who won the first of her two U.S. Opens as a 16-year-old in 1979, identified the same blend of talent and determination she views as a prerequisite for success in the Russian.
Kasatkina won her maiden main tour singles title at the Charleston Open in April, and Austin - working as an analyst for U.S. network Tennis Channel - was there to see every shot.
"Every match had some different element that (Kasatkina) had to deal with... Every match she had to problem-solve," the American said.
"Sometimes she was aggressive sometimes she realised it was more beneficial to go back to defence. Sometimes she hit hard, sometimes she chipped and drop-shotted or hit loppy balls."
That thoughtful approach was good enough to win the final 6-3 6-1. The Russian's opponent on that day was Ostapenko - though it seems fair to say the Latvian has come a long way since.
(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
Happy Kiss Day 2025: Wishes, WhatsApp messages, images, quotes to share with your lover
Why Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of Champions Trophy 2025? Report says Ajit Agarkar...
Meet woman, who studied 17-18 hours daily, cracked UPSC in sixth attempt with AIR..., she is...
DNA TV Show: Delhi Police searches for AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in threat case
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 warm-up fixtures: Will India play any practice game before mega event?
Meet man, IIT graduate, who once worked at Google, OpenAI, now owns...
BTC X8 Bumex Review 2025: Scam or Legit Trading Platform? Quick Facts!
AR Rahman comments on future of music, worries about THIS genre: 'We have lost all…’
UPSC introduces changes in online application process after aspirants' complaints; check here
TRAI's BIG move, introduces new rules against pesky calls, messages, fines telcos for...
Vir Das breaks his silence on India’s Got Latent controversy: 'A good artist will always…'
Who was Kim Rieul? Korean designer behind BTS and MONSTA X’s modern hanboks passes away at 32
Trade Compliance Meets Cybersecurity: Forensic Strategies for Risk Management
Enabling governance to organizations within AWS marketplace: A look at private marketplace
R Madhavan makes BIG STATEMENT about his bank account: 'I don't know how much I have and...'
Asense Interior: Celebrating 11 Years of Redefining Luxury Interiors in Bengaluru
Snow Moon 2025: When and how to witness February's full moon tonight? Know here
Kiss Day 2025: Why do we celebrate this day? Know history and significance
DNA Verified: Is Rashtrapati Bhavan hosting a wedding for the FIRST time? Know truth here
India's retail inflation slows to 4.31 per cent in January due to...
WATCH: Maha Kumbh girl Mona Lisa starts training before filming her 1st movie alongside Anupam Kher
Radhika Merchant stuns in blue and green suit at MahaKumbh Mela, it costs Rs....
BIG move by Mukesh Ambani, Reliance partners with US company, set to drive...
IND v ENG: Why are India and England players wearing green arm bands in 3rd ODI at Ahmedabad?
Tripti Dimri sets major beachwear goals in Maldives; can you guess price of her swimsuit?
Mitolyn Supplement Reviews: Ingredients, benefits, side effects, purple peel exploit
Gaurav Sharma: Visionary leader driving cybersecurity excellence
All About Details: Turning ordinary outfits into statement looks
Duolingo owl is dead? Launguage learning app urges users to respect Dua Lipa's privacy, know why
Why digitisation is necessary in construction industry and why its adoption remains slow
Meet IIT-JEE topper, who created record in Odisha by scoring 99.98 percentile, aims to join...
When is Shab-e-Barat 2025 – February 13 or 14? Check history, significance
THIS is India's last railway station where train never stops, know why
GBS outbreak: Mumbai reports its first death due to Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Ram Gopal Varma questions Rajinikanth's acting, says 'I don’t know if he can exist without...'
Who was Acharya Satyendra Das? Ayodhya Ram temple's chief priest who passed away in Lucknow
Old wedding card mentioning IIT degrees of couple creates buzz on social media; see viral post
Chunky Panday says Shatrughan Sinha advised him to 'make people wait': 'If you are punctual...'
UP Court summons Rahul Gandhi on March 24 over 2022 remarks against Army
Indian consulate in Marseille to strengthen 'people-to-people ties': PM Modi
India’s Top 5 Richest YouTubers: Know who’s earning more than Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia?
Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Mittal are working to revolutionise mobile calling in India by...
DNA TV Show: UP CM Yogi Adityanath's multi-level plan for Maghi Purnima
Tejasswi Prakash reveals why she joined Celebrity MasterChef: 'I am obsessed with...'
Delhi-NCR schools holiday: Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, schools closed tomorrow due to...
'We can teach children AI but...': Sudha Murty urges govt to provide funds to schools to promote...
THIS startup gives whopping bonus to employees for loyalty, they get Rs...