Tennis: Tennis-Ostapenko races to win over giant-killer Putintseva

LONDON (Reuters) – Former French Open champions Jelena Ostapenko and Barbora Krejcikova will clash on Wimbledon’s grass after the pair reached the quarter-finals in contrasting fashion on Monday.

Ostapenko, who won in Paris in 2017, raced through her 6-2 6-3 win over giant-killer Yulia Putintseva, wrapping up the match under the Court One roof in just over an hour.

The Latvian 13th seed has lost only 15 games in her first four rounds and was merciless in her treatment of Kazakhstan’s 35th-ranked Putintseva, who upset top seed Iga Swiatek in the last round.

“I feel like I’m playing more my game, and especially in deciding moments I’m just going for the shots. I don’t care if I miss it,” Ostapenko, who thumped down 29 winners, said.

The 27-year-old, Wimbledon junior champion in 2014, beat Krejcikova on grass at Birmingham last year and has looked very comfortable on the surface.

Krejcikova, who secured the 2021 Roland Garros title, took her time to overcome American 11th seed Danielle Collins, who struggled with a leg injury during the second set, winning 7-5 6-3 in an hour and 42 minutes.

Collins, who is retiring from tennis at the end of the season, lost 12 points in a row, dropping her serve with two double faults, before taking a medical time-out off the court midway through the fifth game.

She returned with her left thigh heavily strapped and won two more games but was clearly in discomfort and the 28-year-old Czech broke once more to win the match and reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final.

“It’s an advantage that I’ve played here a few times. Not so much in singles but doubles a few times. It’s a magic place and it’s a dream to be here,” Krecjikova said.

She said she would savour her victory before thinking too much about Ostapenko.

“It’s the first time I’m in the quarter-finals, so we’ll celebrate tonight and have some good food. I’m going to prepare the best way so I can get one step further.”

(Reporting by Clare Lovell; Editing by Ken Ferris and Alison Williams)