For Harriet Dart, the pressure was immense as she stepped onto Court 1 against Jelena Ostapenko. After Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal from Wimbledon, the British wildcard carried the hopes of the home crowd, who packed the stands in support. But Ostapenko had the final say as the former Grand Slam champion celebrated the victory with a cheeky dig at the crowd after the win.

“I’m probably not the one who you wanted to win, but thank you, it was a really nice atmosphere,” the Latvian said in her post-match interview. “Sorry if I was a little bit emotional, but I feel like the first rounds are always tough, especially when you play someone who is from here (Great Britain). The crowd was behind her, so it’s probably a little bit easier (for her) to play,” Ostapenko said.

“It’s funny. When I play somebody local or just somebody that the crowd is supporting, I feel like I’m angry in a good way and I just want to prove wrong that like, you guys are not supporting the right person. I just wanted to prove that you guys should support me in the next match,” she added later.

The 29-year-old Briton gave everything she had in the first-round contest against Jelena Ostapenko. The former world No. 70 recovered well after dropping the opening set. 

However, the British wildcard could not find an answer to Ostapenko’s powerful shot-making in the deciding set. The 2017 French Open winner eventually secured a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory after 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Throughout the match, the Court 1 crowd remained firmly behind Dart. That created a lively and sometimes tense atmosphere inside the stadium.

At one stage of the match, the former world No. 5 added even more spice to the occasion. After hitting an ace, Ostapenko pointed toward the crowd and encouraged them to cheer louder, making the atmosphere even more hostile on the court.

At the end, Ostapenko’s experience made the difference when the pressure increased. The former SW19 quarter-finalist struck an impressive 46 winners during the match, which ultimately helped her seal a place in the second round. 

And this is not the first time she has found herself involved in tense exchanges with spectators during a match. The Latvian’s fiery personality has often made her one of the tour’s most talked-about competitors.

Jelena Ostapenko has a long history of clashes with crowds

Today’s incident at Court 1 was not the first time the former Grand Slam champion has found herself in a confrontation with spectators. 

During her match against Alexandra Eala at the Linz Open this year, Ostapenko reached a breaking point. The 29-year-old confronted disruptive fans on two separate occasions during the heated contest.

“Take the racket, and I will learn how to play,” she shouted at one of the fans. The moment quickly drew attention from everyone inside the arena.

A similar issue also arose during the Qatar Open last year. Following her QF win against two-time SW19 finalist Ons Jabeur, she criticized the crowd for repeatedly interrupting her during the match.

“I know Ons is their favourite, I respect that, but, you know, between serves, shouting and whistling and coughing, I think it’s a little bit disrespectful, not only to me, if this happens to any other player I think they should be taken care of,” Ostapenko said after the match.

Now, with a place in the 2nd round secured at the All-England Club, Ostapenko will return to the court carrying plenty of confidence next. It will be interesting to see how the crowd responds when she steps back onto the court again, especially after another fiery exchange with spectators on the opening day.