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Jelena Ostapenko progressed to the third round of the 2023 US Open by beating Elina Avanesyan on Thursday, August 31.
The 20th seed started strong and looked close to a win after winning the first set and leading the second 5-2. However, Avanesyan fought back and forced the match into a decider.
Ostapenko eventually found her footing again and closed out the contest 6-2, 5-7, 7-5. However, it wasn't the victory but the unusual statistics of the match that caught the attention of tennis fans.
Ostapenko made a whopping 80 unforced errors but still came out on top.
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Tennis journalist Jose Morgado shared the statistic on Twitter, while also noting that Ostapenko would most likely face Iga Swiatek in the fourth round:
"Jelena Ostapenko the most likely R16 opponent for #1 Iga Swiatek, survives quite a match against Elina Avanesyan to reach the 3rd round. 6-3, 5-7, 7-5! Final stats are delicious: Ostapenko: 57 winners, 80 unforced errors, Avanesyan: 11 winners, 30 unforced errors," he posted.
A fan responded to Morgado's post, hilariously commenting that looking at the stat, the World No. 1 should probably "start packing now."
"only 80 UEs over 3 sets? Iga is shaking better start packing now," the fan wrote.
The statistic also prompted others to point out Ostapenko's 3-0 lead in the head-to-head against Swiatek. Here are a few more reactions:
Jelena Ostapenko to square off against Bernarda Pera in R3 of the US Open
Jelena Ostapenko will take on Bernarda Pera in the third round of the 2023 US Open on Friday, September 1.
The former French Open champion will go into the match on the back of two three-set battles - one against Jasmine Paolini in the first round and the other against Elina Avanesyan in the second round. She will be looking go further than her deepest run at the US Open, which was reaching the third round in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Croatian-American Bernarda Pera, meanwhile, opened her US Open campaign by beating 16th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the first round. She then defeated Wang Xiyu in a three-set match.
Pera's best result at the US Open has been a second round appearance, which she made in both 2018 and 2020.
Ostapenko and Pera have met once on-court, at the 2019 Jurmala Open. Pera won that match and so leads the head-to-head 1-0.
