GettyImages-1403286962

Dayana Yastremska, who very nearly reached the Top 20 herself in 2020, continued to show she belongs right up there with that elite today, battling back to defeat No. 16-ranked Jelena Ostapenko in the second round of Birmingham, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Ostapenko was the top seed at the WTA 250 grass-court event.

“I felt amazing support today and it felt super nice, especially the third set in the end,” Ostapenko, who was down a break in the decider, said afterwards.

“It’s been a hard match and I just tried my best.”

Yastremska’s win over the 2017 Roland Garros champion was the 14th Top 20 win of her career, and she’s 3-0 against Top 20 players this year now, having previously beaten a No. 3-ranked Barbora Krejcikova in the second round of Dubai, 6-3, 7-6 (3), and a No. 14-ranked Jessica Pegula in Billie Jean King Cup play in April, 6-3, 6-4.

The Ukrainian went as high as No. 21 on the WTA rankings in 2020 but missed the first half of 2021 due to an anti-doping violation that was later overturned after they found no fault or negligence on her part—she fell as low as No. 150 earlier this year but has now nearly halfed that to her current ranking of No. 79.

Advertising