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World No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko was hugged and kissed by her boyfriend Arturs Karasausks while celebrating her victory in the second round of the 2024 Australian Open.
The Latvian continued her good form in Melbourne after a sensational title-winning run in Adelaide. She began her campaign by breezing past Kimberly Birrell before outclassing local favorite Ajla Tomljanovic in three sets 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 to enter the third round.
While celebrating the victory in the locker room, Ostapenko was embraced by her boyfriend Arturs Karasausks. He congratulated the 11th seed by giving her a warm hug and also showered her with kisses.
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Ostapenko and Karasausks have been in a relationship since 2017. Karasausks, 31, is a professional football player hailing from Latvia and currently represents Cyprus-based outfit Krasava ENY Ypsonas FC as a forward. While he has been in a long term relationship with Ostapenko, Karasausks was previously married to his now ex-wife Nikola Karasauska.
Ostapenko is making her ninth appearance at the Australian Open. She chalked up a quarterfinal finish last year, which is her best result in Melbourne so far. The 26-year-old has made a staggering start to the new season, chalking up nine wins from 10 matches and a title-winning run at the 2024 Adelaide International.
The Latvian captured her first trophy of the year by defeating high-quality opponents on tour, such as Marta Kostyuk, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Daria Kasatkina. She also reached the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International.
Jelena Ostapenko to square off against Victoria Azarenka in R3 of the Australian Open
Eleventh seed Jelena Ostapenko will take on Victoria Azarenka in the third round of the Australian Open on Saturday.
Azarenka leads the head-to-head battle against Ostapenko 3-0. She defeated the Latvian most recently at the 2024 Brisbane International. While Ostapenko made her mark against Tomljanovic, Azarenka outclassed Clara Tauson in the second round 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. She will be hoping to present a tough challenge to Ostapenko and reach the second week in Melbourne.
Azarenka, who is a two-time champion at the Australian Open (2012, 2013), is making her 16th appearance in Melbourne. The 34-year-old has also made a strong start to the season, managing a semifinal appearance at the Brisbane Internatioanal. She defeated the likes of Clara Burel and Ostapenko, but couldn't fend off top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the last eight.
Fans can expect a mouthwatering encounter between Ostapenko and Azarenka at the Melbourne Park Arena. The winner of this match will take on either Emma Navarro or Dayana Yastremska in the fourth round.
