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Jelena Ostapenko held Iga Swiatek in high regard while addressing speculations on their rivalry ahead of a possible French Open clash. The Latvian has given the Pole a tough time on the court in their past few matches, notably in Doha and Stuttgart in the 2025 season.
Their projected draws for the ongoing French Open show that the duo might face each other in the fourth round of the tournament. This will entail Swiatek facing the Ostapenko challenge on her way, making for a Roland Garros blockbuster.
Ostapenko, on the other hand, addressed how she feels indifferent towards all the buzz around their rivalry. She said that she holds a lot of respect for Swiatek while speaking to Sports Poland in one of her interviews at the tournament.
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"I don't pay attention to what is said about our rivalry, I don't think like that. I have a lot of respect for Iga as a tennis player. I focus primarily on myself, because if I play as well as I can, I can beat all the players," she said.
She also elaborated on how her ability to be 'dangerous' is reliant on keeping a consistent performance up, as that is all she counts on when she is out to play, irrespective of the opponent.
"I focus on what depends on me. I know my capabilities. I know when I feel the best, and if something doesn't go my way, I've been trying to work even harder on it in recent years. I think I can be a very dangerous competitor for any rival, not just for Iga," Jelena Ostapenko added.
As of now, both players have had a fairly smooth sail in the first two rounds of the tournament, and have only one more hurdle to cross in order to face each other.
Jelena Ostapenko confident of claiming 'Queen of Clay' title from Iga Swiatek
In the same interview, Jelena Ostapenko expressed how she could take away the title of 'Queen of Clay' from Iga Swiatek. Having secured the French Open title in 2017, the Latvian beams in confidence as she is geared up to reclaim her former glory.
"Iga is called the queen of clay, but I can be called that too," she said.
On the other hand, Iga Swiatek also looks in good form as she has been able to oust Emma Raducanu in the second round.
