Daily Dose of Social Media: Ostapenko’s sarcastic response to Doha crowd, Gauff & Jabeur share a fun Valentine’s Day exchange

Jelena Ostapenko had a sarcastic response for Ons Jabeur’s fans after defeating her in the Qatar Open quarterfinals, a moment we revisit in a new Daily Dose of Social Media. Meanwhile, the Tunisian star appeared in a fun video alongside Coco Gauff as part of Valentine’s Day celebrations.

On the other hand, Roger Federer traveled to South Africa for a foundation event, while Naomi Osaka updated fans on her health status as she returns to training.

Roger Federer travels to South Africa for a noble cause

Roger Federer recently traveled to Mpumalanga, South Africa, on a charitable mission. The Swiss legend, alongside his Roger Federer Foundation, visited schools and engaged with students to strengthen the foundation’s commitment to providing quality education for South African children. His initiative focuses on school preparation for underprivileged boys and girls, helping them develop their skills and opportunities.

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A lesser-known fact is that Federer has a personal connection to South Africa—his mother, Lynette Federer (née Durand), was born in the country. This familial bond makes South Africa particularly special to the 20-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1.

During his visit, Federer was joined by Springboks captain Siya Kolisi, with whom he has built a strong friendship since publicly supporting South Africa’s rugby team during the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. Their bond has grown over the years, and they have frequently been seen together at various charity events. Speaking about Kolisi’s involvement, Federer said, “Having Siya with us has been wonderful; he has so many stories to tell and is an inspiration to many.”

In a press conference, Federer reflected on his foundation’s impact, stating, “Education is something very natural to me. I started this foundation 21 years ago with my family, and I hope that one day we can look back and celebrate the difference we have made in children's lives.”

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Naomi Osaka back in training after injury setback

Naomi Osaka is back in training and shared a glimpse of her progress with fans. The two-time Australian Open champion suffered an abdominal strain on January 5 this year in Auckland, New Zealand, during her third-round match against Belinda Bencic. She was forced to retire in the first set due to the injury.

The Japanese star revealed that her injury worsened significantly after her Melbourne victory over Czech player Karolina Muchova. The setback is particularly frustrating for Osaka, as she has already lost valuable time in recent seasons due to mental health struggles and her pregnancy—her daughter was born in July 2023.

The former World No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion will not return to competition until March, when she is set to play the Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami. Later, the 27-year-old posted a cryptic message on X (formerly Twitter), sparking a flood of fan reactions: “I’m about to be so unapologetically myself,” she wrote.

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Sibling rivalry: Juan Manuel Cerúndolo reacts humorously to loss against Francisco

Juan Manuel Cerúndolo had a funny response for his brother, Francisco Cerúndolo, after losing to him at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires. The brothers faced each other yesterday in the round of 16, where the older sibling took the victory with a 6-2, 6-3 scoreline. With this result, Francisco will now face World No. 2 and tournament favorite Alexander Zverev.

It was an emotional match for both players and the local crowd, and both ‘Fran’ and Juan Manuel took the opportunity to joke about their first-ever ATP Tour meeting.

After the match, Francisco posted: “A unique night for all of us! Hopefully, we’ll have many more of these @jmcerundolo Let’s keep growing.”

To which Juan Manuel humorously replied: “You beat me up, such a bore. Next time, hit more out so it’s more entertaining.”

Ostapenko sarcastically thanks crowd after silencing Jabeur in Doha

Jelena Ostapenko responded sarcastically to the crowd after defeating Tunisian Ons Jabeur at the WTA 1000 Doha 2025. The Latvian is known for her fiery on-court temperament and unique personality, which has often led to controversies—especially her frequent disputes with the Hawk-Eye system.

This time, Ostapenko had to keep a cool head amid constant cheers for her opponent, as Jabeur was the clear crowd favourite in Doha, being the most successful Arab female tennis player of all time. During her on-court interview, Ostapenko delivered an ironic response regarding the lack of fan support.

"Thank you, guys, for not cheering for me because it made me even more motivated. But I know some people were cheering for me, thank you, guys," she said with a laugh. "Yeah, you know, I feel like when you're playing at a stadium where everyone is cheering for your opponent."

"Would you be my Valentine?" Jabeur surprises Gauff in hilarious moment

Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff had a lighthearted exchange in celebration of Valentine’s Day. The American 2023 US Open champion was in the middle of a WTA interview when Tunisia’s "Minister of Happiness" suddenly appeared, bringing her usual sense of humour. The three-time Grand Slam finalist interrupted the interview to surprise Gauff with a rose.

"Would you be my Valentine?" Jabeur playfully asked her colleague.

Both players burst into laughter, and Gauff quickly played along: "Oh… Yes!" she replied enthusiastically. "I did choose Galentine’s Day. I don’t have anything for you, so the hug is for you," the American added before embracing Jabeur.

"I was like, who the heck is jumping over? Thank you. How many people have you done this for, though?" Gauff joked. Check out the hilarious moment between two of the WTA’s biggest stars below!

Daria Kasatkina’s latest vlog features Belinda Bencic & Leylah Fernandez

Daria Kasatkina shared a new video on her YouTube channel, What the Vlog, alongside her girlfriend, Natalia Zabiiako. In this latest edition of Kasatkina’s vlog, the Russian couple once again gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at life on the WTA Tour. This time, however, they had some new special guests who had not previously appeared in Dasha’s videos.

The vlog features Belinda Bencic, who recently returned to the tour after maternity leave, and 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez, both captured during the Abu Dhabi Open. Interestingly, Bencic went on to win the WTA 500 title, defeating American Ashlyn Krueger in the final. In a surprising turn, Krueger had previously defeated both Kasatkina (Round of 16) and Fernandez (quarterfinals) in her breakthrough run at this tournament category.

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