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2019 a struggle on serve for Ostapenko

Jelena Ostapenko’s 2019 serve looks like … her 2018 serve.

After an off-season compromised by a left wrist injury, the Latvian went 0-3 Down Under. She lost in the first round to Monica Niculescu in Shenzhen, Ashleigh Barty in Sydney and Maria Sakkari at the Australian Open.

Ostapenko hit nine double faults in squeezing past Kristina Mladenovic 6-1, 0-6, 6-0 in the first round of St. Petersburg. It was her first win of 2019.

But she fell to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Thursday. Only four double faults, but three in one game resulted in a deciding break.

It doesn’t appear much serving work got done pre-season.