Jelena Ostapenko is out of the Australian Open, marking one of the first significant exits from a tournament that’s been largely free of surprises so far.
Her early departure stands out even more in a draw where most of the top seeds have advanced without much trouble.
This result may not shock those familiar with her record. She’s never made it past the third round in Melbourne, despite being a fixture on tour for years.
Even so, Ostapenko has fallen short of what many had hoped for. Her run in Melbourne this year ended quietly.
Another Early Exit for Grand Slam Winner at Australian Open
Ostapenko, who started her tournament with a straight-sets win over Rebecca Šramková, couldn’t follow it up in the next round.
This time, she let a one-set lead slip against Wang Xinyu, the world number 43, falling 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-0. Her exit followed another of her now-familiar collapses in Grand Slams.
Ostapenko’s frustrations showed as the match slipped away. The 28-year-old often took out her anger on her box, continuing a pattern that has popped up before during tough moments in big matches.
While she reached the quarter-finals last year, nine of her other ten appearances have ended by the third round.
An injury did force Ostapenko to retire from a pre-tournament event earlier this month, but it didn’t seem to play any role in her defeat today.
Jelena Ostapenko’s struggles in recent Grand Slam tournaments
Ostapenko’s early exit is just another entry in a growing list of disappointing Grand Slam campaigns, but it’s also something fans have come to expect.
If you look back at her last five appearances across the 2025 season and into the start of 2026, a clear pattern begins to emerge.
Her campaign last year began with a first-round defeat at Melbourne Park, setting the tone for what would be a challenging stretch of results.
She followed that up with a third-round showing at Roland-Garros, where Elena Rybakina comfortably ended her run.
Then came Wimbledon, where she suffered another early loss. This time it was Sonay Kartal who sent her packing in the opening round. Her year finished with a second-round defeat to Taylor Townsend at the US Open—a match that became controversial due to comments made afterwards by Ostapenko about her opponent.
“If someone plays against me and always tries to get injured or tries medical timeouts only when I win points or get an advantage, for me that’s not correct,” she said after losing to Townsend. “But I’m not surprised because many players are doing this now.”
Fans growing tired of Jelena Ostapenko’s behaviour
The reaction on social media spoke volumes about how supporters were feeling following another dramatic display from Ostapenko during her exit from this year’s tournament.
A string of complaints aimed towards her box added little value as she struggled through one of those matches that quickly got away from her. Fans seemed noticeably fed up as it played out.
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