Jelena Ostapenko, the World No 31, faced boos from the Wimbledon crowd on No 1 Court following her victory over British wildcard Harriet Dart. The former French Open champion secured a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win in a match that saw Ostapenko's behavior draw criticism from spectators and commentators alike.
During the second set, which was marked by unforced errors from Ostapenko, Dart managed to regain a foothold in the match. When Ostapenko double-faulted to hand Dart a crucial break at 4-2 in the third set, the home crowd applauded.
Ostapenko appeared to interpret the applause as a personal attack and responded by sarcastically applauding the crowd with her racquet and offering a thumbs-up, which intensified the boos. The Latvian player, known for her aggressive style, was also noted for her tactics to disrupt Dart's rhythm. One such tactic involved an extended service routine, including repeatedly catching her ball toss before serving.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who was on commentary, was heard to remark "Jesus" under her breath during one of these prolonged service motions. Despite Dart fighting back to level at 4-4 in the third set, Ostapenko ultimately closed out the match.
Following the match handshake, Ostapenko was seen collecting souvenir towels from the court, a gesture reminiscent of Iga Swiatek the previous year, to place in her racquet bag. This also appeared to be a point of contention between the players.
In her on-court interview, Ostapenko addressed the crowd directly. "I know guys, I'm probably not the one you wanted to win, but thanks guys for a very nice atmosphere," she said. "Sorry if I was a little bit emotional, but I feel like first rounds are so tough, especially when the opponent is from here." She added that crowds supporting local players sometimes motivates her to prove them wrong, but also acknowledged the natural inclination for fans to support their own. Ostapenko concluded by expressing a desire for the crowd's support in her next match, which appeared to garner a positive response.
Dart's first-round exit occurred on a difficult day for British women's tennis at Wimbledon. Teenager Mika Stojsavljevic, the 2024 Girls US Open winner, lost in straight sets to No 11 seed Belinda Bencic, and Alicia Dudeney was defeated by Alycia Parks. Emma Raducanu had already withdrawn from the tournament due to injury.
