Ostapenko returns to Charleston with a new outlook and an old spark

When Monday’s first three singles matches on stadium court at the Credit One Charleston Open finished quickly, the call came for a first-time doubles team.

But this wasn’t just any thrown-together combination — it was the No. 3 and No. 4-ranked players on the Hologic WTA Tour: Erin Routliffe, who paired with Gabriela Dabrowski to win last year’s WTA Finals in Riyadh and the 2023 US Open. And Jelena Ostapenko, who won last year’s US Open with Lyudmyla Kichenok.

Naturally, it took them a while to figure things out, but eventually they sprinted away from Viktoriya Tomova and Katie Volynets 2-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a match-tiebreak. The No. 1 seeds are already into the quarterfinals.

“A few days before the tournament she asked me if I want to play,” Ostapenko explained later. “I was not supposed to play doubles here, but then I was like, `Why not? She’s a great doubles player.’

“Yeah, it was so much fun.”

Ostapenko, still a teenager, first played in Charleston in 2017. She made it all the way to the final and two months later was the shocking champion at Roland Garros. Ostapenko returned two years later, but playing consecutive tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami and Charleston felt like too much time away from her home in Latvia.

“I didn’t want to stay so long to wait for the tournament,” Ostapenko told wtatennis.com. “But then I had a good chance to practice in Miami on green clay, so I decided to stay here.”

She’s the No. 11 seed and plays the winner of Tuesday’s match between qualifier Louisa Chirico and Erika Andreeva. If successful, defending champion Danielle Collins could be waiting in the third round.

Ostapenko has been remarkably consistent, finishing inside the Top 20 the past three years. She’s currently No. 25 and her best result so far came in Doha, where on the way to the final she defeated No. 2 Iga Swiatek and No. 4 Jasmine Paolini.

What is it about Doha?

“I think just the place,” Ostapenko said, laughing. “Maybe because it’s where everything started for me. Then, the biggest final of my career, in 2016. I just love to play in the Middle East.”

Playing doubles with Routliffe, all of Ostapenko’s trademark funny faces and gestures were on full display. Watch her eyeballing her service toss, or frown when a forehand sails long — it’s why “Penko” has developed a cult following around the world.

“The thing about me is I am super competitive, doesn’t matter if it’s tennis or anything else,” Ostapenko said. “And sometimes I get very emotional on the court. I get really upset about some balls that I miss.”

Her goal this year is to continue the consistency of recent years and push back into the Top 10, where she spent 10 weeks last year after another successful Middle East swing.

“Of course in the next years,” she said, “the goal is to win another Grand Slam.”

Only 16 active players can talk about winning “another” Grand Slam. Since Serena Williams won her 23^rd and final major at the 2017 Australian Open, there have been 14 different Grand Slam singles champions. Ten of them, like Ostapenko, have one.

Does Ostapenko appreciate what she accomplished seven years ago more now than she did at the time?

“That’s a good question,” she said after a long pause. “I think I always appreciated what I did. I always believed in myself. … I knew I could win a Grand Slam, but I honestly never expected that I could win a Grand Slam at the age of 19, turning 20. So maybe that was a little bit early for me.

“I think if I won it later in my career I would deal with it a bit better — because obviously the whole life changed after winning a Grand Slam. Today the players who win Grand Slams, they’re older than they were before.”

The success of Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins and Madison Keys — all here in Charleston and all over 30 — encourages her.

“I feel now the field is more open,” Ostapenko said. “There are more opportunities for players to win Grand Slams. Everything is possible.”