Jelena Ostapenko plans (relatively) lowkey birthday, teases merch line in Rome

ROME, Italy—Jelena Ostapenko’s favorite holiday is fast approaching but for the first time, she’s not looking forward to it.

“Oh my god, don’t remind me about my birthday,” laughed the former Roland Garros champion. “I don’t want to get one year older!”

The 27-year-old has traditionally celebrated her birthday in style, hosting “Sweet 16” style bashes in her home city of Riga—parties that require weeks of planning.

“I always like to have the local artists,” she told me back in 2022. “There’s one, Intars Busulis, who always sings on my birthday. He’s from Latvia, and we’re really good friends. We always have so much fun and he’s really amazing, the way he pumps up the people and everyone starts to dance. Every party should be like that.”

While her most famous birthday, of course, came in 2017 when she celebrated by winning her first major title in Paris, Ostapenko is thinking a more lowkey affair—relatively speaking.

“I was thinking to maybe go to Ibizia or Mykonos,” Ostapenko said after a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Rebecca Sramkova. “I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to go there, but we’ll see how I do at the French.”

The island vibes more closely mirror how Ostapenko typically spends the off-season, the Latvian often choosing exotic locations like Dubai or the Maldives.

“I think they’re such cool places, especially in the summer. You have to go then, otherwise it’s not fun anymore. If I have time, I’ll probably go there with my friends.”

In the midst of a strong clay season, having kicked off with a title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, the former world No. 5 did tease one birthday surprise, joining Danielle Collins in the merch line space.

“A lot of people are asking me because myself and my boyfriend have been wearing some of the stuff and they’ve been curious about where they can get it or buy it. I’m like, ‘It’s not out yet!’” she exclaimed, promising a mix of hoodies, t-shirts, and caps over multiple drops.

“When you start it, you think it’s not that difficult, but when you really get into it, it’s tough because there’s a lot of people involved.”

Before we go, let’s take a last loving look back at past Ostapenko parties (and pray for more in the future):