Jelena Ostapenko’s Canadian Open campaign took a difficult turn in Toronto when she retired in the second round while trailing 6-0, 4-0 to Zhang Shuai. The result was already stark, but the fallout became even more troubling when Ostapenko later posted screenshots of abusive messages on Instagram stories.
It was the latest reminder that top-level tennis results can quickly spill into a much uglier online response. Ostapenko said she was not herself on court and was struggling significantly, and the messages she shared suggested that the abuse she faced after the loss went well beyond criticism of performance.
What happened in Toronto?
At the Canadian Open, Ostapenko was forced to retire after a medical timeout while Zhang Shuai had already moved into a commanding lead. The match lasted just 33 minutes, and Zhang had taken control so completely that Ostapenko was left trailing 6-0, 4-0 before the contest ended.
For Ostapenko, the defeat also continued a frustrating pattern in Canada. She has not made it past the third round in 10 attempts at the tournament, and this latest result added another difficult chapter to that record.
The messages Ostapenko exposed
After the match, Ostapenko shared screenshots of the abuse she said she received. Among the comments were fat-shaming insults and life-threatening messages, the sort of online reaction that has become a wider problem in sport, especially when betting money is involved.
Ostapenko addressed the issue directly on Instagram, saying these were the kind of messages players receive after a very bad day on court, and that professional athletes have to deal with this after almost every loss. She also called on Instagram to do something about the toxic account, not only for her own sake but for other tennis players as well.
What comes next for Ostapenko?
Despite the disappointment in singles, Ostapenko was scheduled to return to doubles action on Thursday alongside Su-Wei Hsieh against Donna Vekic and Maria Sakkari. That gives her a quick chance to reset after a bruising day in Toronto, even if the broader concern over abuse in tennis remains unresolved.
Ostapenko’s career has already shown she can bounce back at the biggest level, with her Roland Garros title in 2017 still standing as one of the defining achievements of her career. She also lifted the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon a month before the Canadian Open, underlining that the talent is still there. But the Canadian Open episode showed how quickly a difficult performance can lead to an even more worrying conversation away from the court.
