Superb Ostapenko dismantles Swiatek to power into Qatar Open final
Jelena Ostapenko overpowered the Pole 6-3, 6-1. She’ll play American Amanda Anisimova in Sunday’s showpiece
Jelena Ostapenko, Qatar Open, 2025 © Imago / Psnewz
Jelena Ostapenko produced one of the performances of the season to take apart three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek, dismantling the world No 2 6-3, 6-1 to reach her second final at the Qatar Open.
In front of a cohort of somewhat stunned Polish fans, Ostapenko handed Swiatek one of her heaviest defeats since the Pole rose to the very top of the sport three years ago, ending her hunt for a record-extending fourth title in Doha in the process.
It was a simply devastating performance from the Latvian, who blitzed her opponent with a constant barrage of winners – 31 in total, compared with Swiatek’s eight. Ostapenko’s high-octane boom-or-bust style of tennis can often malfunction, but today she harnessed the power of her full-throttle tennis superbly, by playing with supreme pace and pinpoint accuracy.
In short, she simply overwhelmed Swiatek, which is a very rare occurrence. Ostapenko, currently 37th in the world but with a ranking certain to rise after reaching the final in the Qatari capital, has now extended her win-loss record against Swiatek to 5-0. That is an extraordinary stat, as the Latvian is also the only active player with a winning head-to-head against the five-time Grand Slam champion.
blistering ostapenko gives swiatek no room to breathe
Ostapenko set the tone of the contest from the off, racing to a blistering start by breaking in the opening game. In the sixth game, the Latvian fended off the only break point she faced across that first set, before striking again in the ninth and final game, sealing a comfortable one-set lead on her third set point to book-end the opening stanza with a pair of breaks.
A lengthy second game of the second set eventually saw a third break for the world No 37 as she reaped the rewards of relentless return pressure to convert her fourth break point of the game and seize a commanding grip on the match.
Swiatek salvaged a remnant of hope after Ostapenko had broken to love in the fourth game by hitting straight back to earn her first break of the contest and claw her way back into some measure of contention.
But it was short-lived, as Ostapenko broke for a fifth time in the very next game – again to love – to wrestle back total control before authoritatively serving out a remarkable win.
“i know how to play against her” – ostapenko holds the key against swiatek
The Latvian had oozed confidence from the moment she stepped out on court, and she had no problem confirming as such in her on-court interview.
“I was pretty confident that I would beat her, because we’ve played a lot of matches and I know how to play against her,” Ostapenko said following victory.
“I was more focusing on myself and what I had to do. I’m happy with the way I’m handling my emotions this week.”
Swiatek’s 15-match winning streak at the Qatar Open stretching back to 2020 has been ended, and in truly emphatic fashion. Perhaps more pertinently, however, the Pole has still to get a win against a player who is proving more than just a thorn in her side.
With five wins from five against the world No 2, Ostapenko’s dominance over Swiatek is now a point of genuine concern – one that Swiatek and her team will no doubt turn their attention to rectifying.
Ostapenko, meanwhile, finds her range again in Doha to deservedly reach a second 1000-level final – her first since making the showpiece at this event back in 2016.
She will face big-hitting American Amanda Anisimova in a surprise final where none of the top 15 players who competed at this tournament will appear.
Whatever happens in that match, however, there is already one certainty – Doha will crown a new queen this week after three years of Iga’s reign came crashing to an end at the hands of the irrepressible Ostapenko.
