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Jelena Ostapenko unloaded on Julie Kjendlie during her Brisbane International quarterfinal match, accusing the chair umpire of "ruining" her matches and warning her not to ever again sit in the chair for one of her matches.
Late in the third set against Victoria Azarenka, Ostapenko stopped the play at the net because she felt that the ball bounced twice on the surface before the Belarusian hit it. But chair umpire Kjendlie didn't call for a double bounce as Azarenka converted her game point to go 5-4 up in the decider.
As Ostapenko was heading toward her bench for the changeover, she absolutely lost her cool and went ballistic at chair umpire Kjendlie.
"You are blind, it is impossible to play when you make so many mistakes. I never want you at my match again, you will never be at my match. You ruin my matches," Ostapenko was heard shouting at umpire Kjendlie.
Jelena Ostapenko is not happy with the umpire in her match against Azarenka:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 5, 2024
“I never want you at my match again. You will never be at my match. You ruin my matches.” pic.twitter.com/7ns1h6rR7F
Ostapenko loses to Azarenka, doesn't shake hands with the umpire
Following an outburst late in the third set, No. 3 seed Ostapenko ended up losing the match as eighth-seeded Azarenka edged out the Latvian 6-3 3-6 7-5 after exactly two and a half hours of play. Ostapenko shook Azarenka's hand at the net but refused to do so with chair umpire Kjendlie.
After Azarenka took a 5-4 lead following a game in which Ostapenko felt she was a victim of a wrong call, the Latvian found herself 0-30 down in the 10th game when serving to stay in the match. Just when it seemed a frustrated Ostapenko would drop the 10th game and lose the match, the 2017 French Open champion responded by winning the next four points and tying the third set to five games apiece.
Azarenka kept her focus, serving out the 11th game to love to open a 6-5 lead. Serving to stay in the match for the second time, Ostapenko didn't manage to deliver this time as Azarenka earned her first match point on the Latvian's serve in the 12th game and realized it to complete a three-set win.