New Delhi: Three-time Qatar Open defending champions Iga Swiatek was stunned by Jelena Ostapenko in the semifinals of the event. Swiatek, who lost the match 3-6, 1-6, was beaten by Latvian fifth time in as many meetings. Polish Swiatek entered the semifinal contest on the back of 15 match winning streak in Doha but suffered a bad thrashing at the hand of Ostepenko.
The tennis player from Poland had a record of clinching the title in each of the last three editions of the event. Swiatek, who is a five-time Grand Slam champion, was aiming to become the first player since 2011 and only the second in this century to win the same WTA tournament fours years in a row but Ostapenko spilled water on her plans.
Ostapenko first player to bet Swiatek five times
2017 French Open champions Ostapenko, by virtue of the fabulous victory, became the first player to beat Swiatek on five occasions. The world number 37 was brilliant in the contest right from the beginning as she fired 24 winners against just 15 unforced errors beating the second ranked polish player in just 70 minutes of play.
Ostapenko will face Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s crucial championship contest after the American player beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-3 to get to her second WTA 1000 final. The Latvian player is through to her third WTA 1000 final of her career and is looking for her first title at the level. She lost on her previous two opportunities in Doha and Miami back in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
‘I feel like this court has a special energy and it was always helping me. Everything started for me on this court (when I reached the final in 2016),’ said Ostapenko after winning the match. ‘Today when I went on the court I was pretty confident that I could beat her because we played a lot of matches and I kind of know how to play against her’, she added.
Jelena Ostapenko will be up against American player Amanda Anisimova in Saturday’s championship contest after she beat Ekaterina Alexandrova in the semifinals. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
