Jelena Ostapenko committed one of the weirdest double faults ever when she failed to hit even the opposing part of the court during her match at the 2024 Eastbourne International.
Double faults are common in tennis, as players usually commit a few double faults per match. On the WTA Tour, players are more prone to committing double faults, mostly because they are shorter than their male counterparts, as height is one of the main advantages when it comes to serving.
Doubles faults aren’t really special, as it’s just a player failing to miss the part of the court where the ball is supposed to go. However, in Eastbourne, fans saw perhaps one of the most spectacular double faults of all time.
It came in the match between Ostapenko and Katie Boulter, and it was courtesy of the Latvian. She didn’t have the best day in the office and was facing a good player in Boulter, who has been having a great grass-court season.
In the first set, Ostapenko failed to hit the right part of the court, but she also failed to hit the whole court. The ball landed on the opposite side of the court, in the doubles part of the court.
Most of the fans in the crowd chuckled after seeing that, however, it wasn’t that funny to Ostapenko because that double fault gave Boulter a breakpoint, which was also a set point at 5-3 for the Brit.
Ostapenko would, however, win that game but ultimately lose the match in two sets, 4-6, 5-7. It’s been an interesting year for the Latvian, who has, at times, looked really good.
Other times, she struggled with her tennis, but she will try to show her best at SW19, after her preparations for the third Grand Slam of the season ended in a loss to Boulter in Eastbourne.
