“Over 300,000 views”: Jelena Ostapenko surprised by TikTok success after resisting social media push
WTA
Jelena Ostapenko is discovering an unexpected new audience away from the tennis court after initially resisting the idea of becoming more active on social media. The former world No. 4 has spent the past few months sharing more behind-the-scenes content, travel videos and glimpses into her daily life, with TikTok quickly becoming the most successful part of her new digital presence.
The Latvian, currently No. 32 in the WTA rankings, was encouraged to become more active online by her personal assistant, who believed that Ostapenko could benefit from giving fans a closer look at her life away from competition. What began as a suggestion she was reluctant to follow has now turned into a growing source of attention.
Ostapenko has remained a competitive presence on tour since her breakthrough French Open triumph in 2017, although she has not been able to reproduce the dominance that once took her as high as No. 4 in the world. This season, she reached the semifinals in Doha and the quarterfinals in Rome, but has not advanced beyond the third round at a Grand Slam or reached a singles final.
Her strongest results in 2026 have instead come in doubles, including a mixed doubles Wimbledon title alongside Marcelo Arevalo and women's doubles finals in Doha and Stuttgart. In Beijing, however, Ostapenko has already produced an important singles victory and advanced to the round of 32 as the No. 24 seed.
Ostapenko embraces new influencer era after TikTok breakthrough
Ostapenko admitted that she was initially against the idea of becoming more active on social media, but eventually decided to see what would happen if she gave it a genuine chance. “I was like, ‘No, I don’t want it, I don’t want it.’ Then at some point, I was like, ‘OK, let’s see how it goes.’”
@jelena.ostapenko1997 A little more ballroom dancing 💃✨ #tennisplayer #dance #latviangirl #riga ♬ Cafe - Eddie Palmieri
The experiment has gone particularly well on TikTok, where several of her videos have attracted hundreds of thousands of views. Ostapenko has shared everything from short travel clips to day-in-the-life content, giving followers a different perspective on the player they usually see only at tournaments.
“It’s going pretty well, especially TikTok. I have some videos [with] over 300,000 views, which is pretty good. I’m looking forward now to posting some more nice things, and I think for fans, it’s kind of interesting to see what’s happening.”
The social media success has arrived during a difficult but competitive period in her singles career. Ostapenko entered Beijing as the No. 24 seed and faced former world No. 2 Paula Badosa in her opening match, recovering from 3-5 down in both sets to win 7-6, 7-5.
Badosa had arrived with confidence after reaching the semifinals of the Sao Paulo Open, while Ostapenko had already beaten another former top-10 player, Australia's Daria Kasatkina, in the opening round. The Latvian held her concentration throughout the tight contest to move into the round of 32, where she will face Elise Mertens.
“I felt I’m playing in my second home”
Beijing has also provided Ostapenko with another reason to enjoy her latest tournament. The Latvian has developed a strong relationship with Chinese fans and has regularly received customized gifts from supporters during her visits to the country.
“It’s been a while in singles, and I’m really happy to be in China. The Chinese fans are super special for me, and today I felt an amazing atmosphere. I felt I’m playing in my second home.”
Read also
The support has extended beyond the atmosphere inside the stadium, with Ostapenko highlighting the gifts she has received from fans. “So many people supporting me, and I had so many nice gifts. Every gift is like super special, so I really love to come here.”
For Ostapenko, the focus now returns to Mertens and extending her Beijing run. But alongside her results on court, the 28-year-old is finding a new way to build a connection with fans — one that began with her reluctance to post more and has already produced videos watched by more than 300,000 people.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- No more bullshit "Wildcards" to these two. Qualify like everyone else -- there will be cameras there, too. Time to scream... WTF ????!!!!
mandoist29-09-2026 - Let's not BS the general public -- Sabalenka started showing cracks in her game last season. Her losses and near-losses started at about the same time she began being distracted by Fame (constant Selfies, making TV commercials, magazine shoots, endless Social Media nonsense, etc., etc.) One would think even Saba could recognize the parallels with others who failed before her -- Raducanu, Giorgi, Bouchard to name a few.mandoist25-09-2026
- Gross!! Hey Raducanu, Giorgi, and Bouchard -- reserve a seat at your Social Media Selfie table for Saba + Naomi. They're heading in your direction soon enough.mandoist24-09-2026
- And then these same players will complain about how lengthy their season’s were and need more time-off. I’m all for more tennis but the amount of tennis we get now is actually kind of crazy! We all need a break, especially the players.DaveyWavey23-09-2026
- You should do a comparison article for "different kinds of justice" the courts decide for tennis players. I can think of at least three players who received very small bans of a few months, however Tara Moore has been fighting for her literal survival the past few years. It seems odd considering she is not a "name" player, unlike the other cases.DaveyWavey22-09-2026
- PRIZE MONEY & POINTS Winner - $185,500 Finalist - $114,500 Semi-Finalist - $66,003 Quarter-Finalist - $35,000 Round of 16 - $18,045 Round of 32 - $13,005 Winner - 500 Finalist - 325 Semi-Finalist - 195 Quarter-Finalist - 108 Round of 16 - 60 Round of 32 - 1DaveyWavey20-09-2026
- Pegula withdrew from this Singapore event
tennishappens19-09-2026 - Serena Williams chose her tournaments. It's not such a bad idea.MuswellHillbilly17-09-2026
- This child is just too fragile. Step away from tennis for a year. Get healthy, get fit; train hard;ranking be damned, and come back as strong contender. Anisimova did it. So can Emma.Rapunzel17-09-2026
- Double standards, what can be said!? Venus is p**ing on media and public. Can't face defeat. Cowerdness! Shouldn't be given any other wild cards ever. That's gross disrespect.DragosJacob16-09-2026
Loading