Jelena Ostapenko reignited her clay credentials by lifting the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, her first trophy on the surface since her teenage breakthrough in Paris eight years ago.
The Latvian overpowered world number two Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, cracking thirty eight winners and celebrating with a broad grin that hinted at renewed confidence ahead of the French Open.
Asked about prospects in Paris, Ostapenko replied that rhythm on clay arrives once timing meets bold intent, qualities she feels returning after an extended off season core programme designed to improve court coverage.
Coach Marion Bartoli praised her player’s willingness to shorten backswings on slower courts, reducing unforced errors while preserving trademark aggression. Training sessions now finish with twenty drop shot attempts, a shot Ostapenko believes will unsettle deeper positioned opponents at Roland Garros.
The twenty seven year old has also partnered with performance analyst Craig O’Shannessy to map serve patterns that earned seventy eight per cent of first serve points in Stuttgart, a stat she hopes to replicate against taller rivals.
French crowds remember the fearless youngster who toppled Simona Halep in twenty seventeen. Ostapenko insists experience now supplements that audacity, and she travels to Paris convinced that lightning can indeed strike twice.
