"Shouting before my serve... Somebody started to cough" - When Jelena Ostapenko accused Camila Giorgi's dad of 'unsportsmanlike' conduct at Wimbledon
Jelena Ostapenko accused Camila Giorgi's team, including her father Sergio of "unsportsmanlike" conduct during her third-round match against the Italian at the 2017 Wimbledon Championship. She claimed that Sergio was coughing intentionally to distract her.
Ostapenko was in red-hot form that year, arriving at the Grasscourt Major after securing her maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open. She began her campaign with a hard-fought three-set win against Aliaksandra Sasnovich and continued with another tough three-setter against Francoise Abanda before facing Giorgi.
Ostapenko battled through a tough match against Giorgi, winning both sets 7-5, 7-5 after intense competition. The Latvian was dealing with distractions throughout as she felt her opponent's father and team were deliberately being loud during her service game. This led her to scowl at Giorgi's player's box and eventually raise the issue with the umpire.
"I mean, her box was quite loud. That was a little bit, like, disappointing because the court, the atmosphere here, I really like to play here. Everyone is, like, very nice. My box, of course, was supporting me as well. But, yeah, couple of times they were, like, shouting before my serve. That's why I got a bit disappointed," Jelena Ostapenko said during a post-match press conference.
"I was just trying to focus on my game and to be on the court. It was just before my serve, somebody started to cough. I think it's a little bit, how you say, unsportsmanlike. You're in such a high level, and the tournament like Wimbledon, a Grand Slam, I think people have to understand where they are," she added.
The No. 13 seed continued:
"A little bit, yes, because I think it was from her dad actually, or her box. I mean, the people who are in her team, they're probably very close to tennis. They probably have to understand how to behave during the points or before the serve."
Jelena Ostapenko lost to Venus Williams in Wimbledon 2017 QF
Jelena Ostapenko advanced to the fourth round of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships after defeating Camila Giorgi. She continued her winning streak by beating Elina Svitolina, setting up a quarterfinal match against Venus Williams. Despite her efforts, the Latvian lost to the American, ending her chance to pull off a Roland-Garros and Wimbledon double that year.
Ostapenko redeemed herself a year later by reaching the semifinals at SW19, where she faced eventual champion Angelique Kerber. It remains her best performance in London to date.