Jelena Ostapenko showed her fiery side during the third-round match against Ons Jabeur at the Madrid Open.
The match itself was hardly eventful. Jabeur capitalized on the Latvian's error-strewn performance to breeze through the first set 6-0 in 21 minutes. Ostapenko won a paltry six points on her own serve.
As Jabeur fist pumped, her coaching team - which included ATP pro Fernando Verdasco and her husband Karim Kamoun - were extremely vocal throughout, leading their support.
But midway through the second set, Ostapenko had had enough of their incessant cheering. After firing a cracking backhand down the line to hold for a 3-2 lead, she turned her head and screamed in anger towards Jabeur's box.
It was difficult to pick up what Ostapenko might have said from the court's speakers, but it was clearly a response of disapproval. Ostapenko's fightback did not last very long because Jabeur would eventually break her serve in the ninth game before serving for a straight-sets win.
Jabeur spoke to reporters after the match, and one of the questions pertained to the drama that unfolded during the match. The Tunisian star was adamant that her team was merely just "encouraging" her during the match.
Despite the cold handshake from the former French Open champion at the end of the match, there was no love lost between the two women, with Jabeur stating that Ostapenko's character is something she has gotten used to.
"The truth is that everyone has a different personality on the court. Everyone knows Jelena. She always tells me that sometimes the demons she has in her head come to light in the middle of a match, so I understand her. I was very motivated, perhaps my box was also encouraging me, something I enjoy."
"Maybe she said some bad words to them, but I think they can handle it, they're adults. It is what it is, it is something that is out of my control. It's how she behaves. The important thing is to have got the win and to have stayed motivated until the end."
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