"So fake & disrespectful" - Jelena Ostapenko called out by opponent after Abu Dhabi controversy; Latvian's doubles partner clarifies what happened

Timea Babos took to social media to seemingly criticize her opponents after she crashed out of her Abu Dhabi 500 doubles quarterfinal match. The match involved Jelena Ostapenko and Ellen Perez who were up against Babos & Nicole Melichar-Martinez.

The match was won by Ostapenko and Perez, 6-4, 6-4. However, during the match and at one of the changeovers, the four players seemingly passed each other at the net and there was a short exchange of views. It appeared that Babos and Melichar-Martinez were about to pass before Ostapenko strode in front of them, causing the pair to stop dead in their tracks.

The incident prompted a strenuous response from Babos on her Instagram page. Without naming names, she posted:

"Some players are just sooo fake and disrespectful. I don't care how good they are, how well they hit the ball, they just have to HAVE RESPECT And MANNERS..."

The incident wasn't noticed by commentators or reporters at the time and played no part in post-match reports. It was only in response to the social media speculation that Perez took to her own X (formerly Twitter) to attempt to clarify matters - stating that it was Ostapenko, who had upset Babos - but also to play down the episode:

"On one of the changeovers we got up to switch sides and Niki and Timea were about to go first and [Jelena Ostapenko] went and I guess it made Timea stop and wait. As we were switching sides Timea said yea you’re welcome. Then from there Jelena was fired up with c’mons. That’s all honestly," she wrote.

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Jelena Ostapenko has been involved in controversy before

Jelena Ostapenko - The Championships - Wimbledon 2017 - Source: Getty

Latvian Ostapenko, the 2017 singles French Open champion and 2024 US Open doubles titleholder, has had a couple of controversial moments over the course of her career.

She refused to shake hands after losing to Victoria Azarenka in 2024 in Doha, and then against the same opponent a year later, she told umpire Julie Kjendlie at the Brisbane International, "You will never, ever be my at my match again."

The dispute on this occasion appears to be a storm in teacup, and neither Ostapenko or Perez deliberately set out to upset their opponents. The two have already breezed past Samson and Vondrousova in the semifinals in Abu Dhabi and will meet Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai in the final.