Meanwhile, Ostapenko is the youngest French Open finalist since Ana Ivanovic in 2007 and also has a chance to emulate Gustava Kuerten, by making French Open her first career title.
"(Ostapenko) is a unsafe player for everybody, I think, but I would bet everything I have on Simona", she said. "It's my goal, I think", said Ostapenko who will climb from 47th in the rankings to 12th on Monday.
"In some moments", Ostapenko said, "I felt a little bit tight". "Maybe I was not ready to win it". But even her favourite author, Agatha Christie, might have considered the plotlines that have run through this year's French Open as too outlandish for publication.
Romania's Simona Halep clenches her fist as she plays Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, June 10, 2017 in Paris. "So was really nice the attention from my country", Ostapenko said on Friday.
"He actually called my mum". I don't know what to expect from her. But, yeah, it was really nice, because the president called. "That means a lot already".
"She had the same energy when she was little, it was very hard", Jakovleva, who coaches her daughter, told a group of reporters at Roland Garros.
USA: TV: Tennis TV and NBC Sports.
Ostapenko is yet to win a singles title and this is her first time beyond the third round of a major.
Ostapenko lost her opening match on her Roland Garros main draw debut a year ago, but now she is hunting a victory that would see her become the lowest-ranked champion in tournament history.
In the quarters, Halep faced a match point in her contest against Elina Svitolina in a second-set tiebreak, having previously recovered from 5-1 down.
And then, in the third, Ostapenko again summoned a veteran's resolve, taking the last five games after being down a break at 3-1.
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Halep finished a total of 14 winners against her 14 unforced errors, while Pliskovas 55 unforced errors cancelled out her 45 winners.
"I still can not believe I am the Roland Garros champion and I'm only 20".
Ostapenko was playing in only her eighth Grand Slam tournament and never had been past the third round before.
25-year-old Halep, who will be crowned world No 2 when the rankings are updated tomorrow, was gracious in accepting her defeat. I just take it like a big day, a big match. "And Jelena has more focus if I'm not there".
She's played with a fearlessness illustrative of her youthful exuberance here, excelling in the clutch moments and hitting more experienced players off the court.
As The New York Times reports, Saturday's win makes Ostapenko the first unseeded woman to win the French Open since 1933. I just want to do my game, to be there, focused, to move well. I think it kind of gave me confidence.
"I'm much better, stronger". I'm not thinking that is the final. I'm just so happy.
The one major question mark surrounding Halep is how she deals with being the favourite in a Grand Slam final.
The sheer audacity of Ostapenko's ball-striking has wowed observers and opponents alike.
Asked when she realised her daughter had so much power, Jelena Jakovleva said: "The day she was born". I have the mentality to win, but it's gonna be tough.
Well, you better believe it. Of course she has nothing to lose.
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