Jelena Ostapenko apologised to a ball girl after nearly hitting her with a wayward shot at the Australian Open.

The 25-year-old was playing Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals at the Grand Slam, ultimately losing 6-2, 6-4. 

She was no match for the reigning Wimbledon champion, despite an improved showing in the second set.

Rybakina will now go on to play Victoria Azarenka in the Australian Open semi-finals.

Why did Jelena Ostapenko apologise to an Australian Open ball kid?

Ostapenko had lost the first set 6-2, but it looked like she could turn it around in the second set, which she led 2-1. 

The Latvian was contesting a deuce against Rybakina, losing a point after she was unable to get her opponent’s serve under control.

Her wayward shot instead whizzed past a ball girl standing by the umpire’s chair, causing the child to flinch.

Ostapenko immediately looked sheepish and began apologising profusely to the girl in question. 

Video: Watch Jelena Ostapenko apologise to an Australian Open ball kid

Who is Jelena Ostapenko?

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 24: Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia plays a forehand during the quarterfinal singles match against Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan during day nine of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 24, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Despite her loss to Rybakina, Ostapenko recorded her best ever finish at the Australian Open. 

She was seeking her second Grand Slam title, having triumphed at the French Open in 2017. 

Ranked 47th in the world, it would not be unfair to say Ostapenko’s victory came as a surprise. She became the first unseeded woman to win the French Open since 1933.

Now ranked 17th in the world, with five WTA Tour titles to her name, Ostapenko is known for her eye-catching outfits on court.

Her career has not been short of controversies, however, in part due to her on-court behaviour.

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 10: Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia celebrates victory with the trophy following the ladies singles final match against Simona Halep of Romania on day fourteen of the 2017 French Open at Roland Garros on June 10, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

The tennis star was playing Ajla Tomljanović in the third round at Wimbledon in 2021, calling for a medical timeout when she was trailing 4-0 in the final set.

The match was delayed by more than 10 minutes as Ostapenko received treatment, angering Tomljanović and resulting in an angry exchange at the net.

She was then booed by the crowd at Wimbledon last year, following her fourth-round defeat to Tatjana Maria. 

Ostapenko threw a water bottle at her chair before storming off Court One, later claiming her opponent had been “lucky” to win.

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