"Unsportsmanlike conduct, should've been disqualified on the spot" - Jelena Ostapenko lashing out at umpire during Brisbane loss angers fans

Fans online have reacted to Jelena Ostapenko lashing out at the umpire for a call she deemed was wrong, during her match against Victoria Azarenka at the Brisbane International.

The Latvian got off to a strong start in 2024 at Brisbane International with wins against Camila Giorgi and Karolina Pliskova in the second and third rounds, respectively. Ostapenko faced Azarenka in the quarter-finals, where the Belarusian managed to come out on top after 2 hours and 30 minutes. Azarenka confirmed her place in the semi-finals with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win.

In the third set, however, an incident occurred which made Ostapenko lash out at the umpire. With Azarenka serving in the ninth game of the third set, the Belarusian returned a ball that Ostapenko felt had bounced twice. However, the umpire proceeded to let the point continue, which eventually led to Azarenka holding serve and going up 5-4.

This seemingly angered Ostapenko, who started shouting at the umpire. She was heard saying that she never wanted the umpire at any of her future matches and referenced the final in Linz in 2019, which she lost to Coco Gauff.

The Latvian seems to believe that the same umpire cost her the final that day, with Gauff winning the game 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.

"I never want you at my matches again. You will never be at my match. You ruin my matches," said the 26-year-old to the referee.

Ostapenko's behavior didn't sit well with fans, and many of them expressed their anger on X (formerly Twitter). One particular fan mentioned that such "unsportsmanlike" conduct should've led to her disqualification on the spot.

"Unsportsmanlike conduct. She should’ve been disqualified on the spot."

Another fan said that they couldn't understand how federations allow the umpires to be "abused" like that.

"I don't understand why Federations left the referees get abused liked that."

Here are some other reactions, as found on X:

Here are some other reactions

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Jelena Ostapenko's strange record at the French Open

Jelena Ostapenko with the 2017 French Open title

Jelena Ostapenko won her first and only Grand Slam title in 2017 at the French Open, where she defeated Simona Halep. She came back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, becoming the first Latvian player in history to win a Major.

But after winning in 2017, Ostapenko had a strange record in Paris from 2016 to 2019. She lost in the first round of the very Slam she had won, in three consecutive years.

In 2016, the Latvian lost to Naomi Osaka in the first round. She suffered the same fate two years later, this time to Kateryna Baindl. Ostapenko was then ousted in the first round by Victoria Azarenka the following year.

She broke the streak in 2020 when she defeated Madison Brengle, before ultimately bowing out to Paula Badosa in the third round.