Do Not Underestimate Me": Ostapenko Ambitious for This Edition of Roland Garros

Winner of Roland Garros in 2017 after defeating Simona Halep in the final, Jelena Ostapenko has not had a single opportunity to claim another Grand Slam title since then.

The Latvian, who enjoys playing on clay—as evidenced by her title win in Stuttgart this April—gave an interview to the tournament’s website just days before the start of the main draw. She considers herself one of the dark horses of this 2025 edition:

"As I said, do not underestimate me. I’ve always known I could play well on clay. I know how to move and slide. I just need to focus on what I have to do. I think it’s all about the work, more than the ranking. When everything clicks and falls into place, the results will come."

Ostapenko, currently ranked 21st in the world this week, also reflected on the tough period she endured between her final in Doha and her title in Stuttgart:

"I wanted the hardcourt season to end as quickly as possible because, to be honest, I don’t really like that surface. The Middle Eastern tournaments (Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai) are really great, Indian Wells too, but Miami isn’t one of my favorites.

I wanted it to be over quickly, especially since I didn’t play well in those last two tournaments. In Charleston, everything went well—I won the doubles and regained my confidence.