Jelena Ostapenko's Abu Dhabi Open campaign ended abruptly on February 4, 2026, as she retired injured during her second-round match against 20-year-old qualifier Sara Bejlek. The Latvian, ranked No. 24, lost 6-4, 6-3 after receiving medical treatment following the first set. This setback adds to a series of injury woes plaguing her early 2026 season.
Jelena Ostapenko entered the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open with renewed hope after a gritty first-round victory over Russia's Oksana Selekhmetyeva, winning 5-7, 7-6, 6-2. It marked her third appearance at the WTA 500 event, where she had previously exited early against Tunisia's Ons Jabeur in straight sets the year before. However, on Tuesday, February 4, 2026, her progress halted against Czech qualifier Sara Bejlek.
The match began competitively, with Bejlek securing the first set 6-4. During the changeover, Ostapenko appeared distressed and received on-court medical attention, as captured in a photo shared on X showing a doctor checking her vitals. Unable to continue at full strength, she dropped the second set 6-3, allowing the 20-year-old to advance to the quarterfinals.
Details of the second set highlighted Ostapenko's struggles: she dropped serve early at 1-3, briefly earned a break point with a strong serve that Bejlek missed, but lost serve again at 2-4. Trailing 2-5, she rallied to 3-5 before her shots went wide. The temperature in Abu Dhabi hovered around 26 degrees Celsius, potentially exacerbating her condition, though the exact injury remains unclear.
Ostapenko also withdrew from her doubles quarterfinal alongside Barbora Krejčíková. This loss echoes recent retirements, including mid-match exits in Adelaide due to neck and shoulder issues against Tereza Valentova, and in late 2025 Wuhan from heat stroke against Sorana Cirstea while trailing 6-0, 2-1. After that match, she posted on Instagram: “It was a tough day – I suffered a heat stroke today… Thank you, China, for the atmosphere, emotions, and incredible energy from the crowd. I’m truly sorry that I had to finish the match this way. Thank you to all my Chinese fans. I’ll be back stronger next time.”
Despite a challenging 2025 with only 18 singles wins from 38 matches, Ostapenko's Stuttgart title—defeating Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek—showed her potential. Her 2026 season started with a Brisbane singles loss but a doubles triumph with Su-wei Hsieh. Now 28 and ranked No. 8 in doubles, recovery will be key for future tournaments.
As one observer noted on X: “Qualifier Sara Bejlek ousts Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-3, reaching the #MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen quarterfinals. Ostapenko won from a set and a break down in her previous match but she couldn't pull that off today.” — Biola Solace-Chukwu (@Beeorlicious)
