Jelena Ostapenko's first-round match at the U.S. Open against Tatjana Maria was interrupted multiple times by rain on Tuesday night, leading to a viral moment when the Latvian player was seen with a notably small umbrella.
As rain began to fall on Court 11, Ostapenko was provided with a diminutive umbrella, which drew attention from social media users and the crowd. In contrast, her opponent, Maria, was sheltered by a larger, official tournament umbrella held by a ball boy. The disparity in umbrellas prompted laughter from onlookers before play was eventually suspended for the second time.
A larger umbrella was later brought out for Ostapenko. The match's start on Wednesday was also delayed due to continued rain in the New York metropolitan area.
This is not the first time Ostapenko has been a topic of discussion at the U.S. Open. Last year, her tournament ended with a heated exchange with American player Taylor Townsend, whom Ostapenko accused of violating unwritten tennis rules. Following the incident, Townsend stated that Ostapenko had told her she had “no class” and “no education.” Ostapenko later issued a public apology on social media, explaining that her use of the word "education" pertained to tennis etiquette and acknowledging that her words could have been offensive.