Furious Jelena Ostapenko demands ‘blind’ umpire never take charge of her games in stunning on-court rant
FORMER French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko screamed at the umpire during her defeat to Victoria Azarenka and told the official to never call her matches again.
Latvian Ostapenko, 26, was beaten 6-3 3-6 7-5 by her Belarusian opponent in the quarter-finals of the Brisbane International.
But the story to come out of the match was that the 2017 Roland Garros winner raged at the umpire towards the end of the third set.
With Azarenka needing just one point to hold her serve and move 5-4 ahead in the decider, Ostapenko looked set to win the point when her return clipped the net and bounced over.
But Azarenka somehow got to the ball to keep it alive and went on to seal the game with an overhead smash.
However, as the two-time Australian Open champion struck the winner, Ostapenko already had her arm up appealing a decision.
She felt the ball bounced twice before Azarenka reached it at the net.
And when she did not get the decision, Ostapenko unleashed a furious rant at umpire Julie Kjnedlie.
She could be heard shouting: “You are blind. It is impossible to play when you make so much mistakes.
“I never want you at my match again. You will never be at my match. I don’t want you at my matches, you ruin my matches.”
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Azarenka went on to claim the final set as an angry Ostapenko was dumped out of the Australian tournament.
She also refused to shake umpire Kjnedlie’s hand at the end of the match.
And the Grand Slam champion’s on-court rant got social media talking as several people slammed her.
One person said: “Unsportsmanlike conduct. She should’ve been disqualified on the spot.”
While another added: “Irrespective of the decision, Ostapenko’s behaviour is abusive, threatening, and unprofessional. She should be sanctioned.”
And a third said: “Ostapenko and on court theatrics. Nothing new.”