Jelena Ostapenko targets top 10 return after sealing WTA Linz title with victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova
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Published 04/02/2024 at 18:57 GMT
Top seed Jelena Ostapenko secured her second title of 2024 following a 6-2 6-3 win over Ekaterina Alexandrova at Linz. The Latvian also claimed victory at the Adelaide International in January, while she also reached the women's doubles final at the Australian Open. She now has her sights set on returning into the WTA top 10 after making a fine start to the year.
Ostapenko targets return to world's top 10 after dominant win in Linz Open final
Jelena Ostapenko is targeting a return to the top 10 in the WTA rankings after overcoming Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2 6-3 to win the title in Linz.
The Latvian became the first player to win two WTA singles titles this year following her victory at the Adelaide International in January.
It was Ostapenko’s second win over Alexandrova after also beating the Russian on her way to success in Adelaide, where she beat Daria Kasatkina in the final, and needed just 70 minutes to wrap up her latest win on Sunday.
Ostapenko was making her first appearance in Linz since 2019, when she progressed all the way to the final and lost to Coco Gauff, who claimed her first WTA title at the event.
Her path to success in this year’s event has not all been straightforward, having to save match point against qualifier Clara Tauson after a first-round bye.
However, it has been plain-sailing for the Latvian from that point onwards after dispatching Brit Jodie Burrage and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova with relative ease to set up a final meeting against Alexandrova.
“It was a really good week and I felt like every match I was playing better and I'm really happy to get such a beautiful trophy,” Ostapenko said after her victory.
“I think it's one of the most beautiful trophies that I've ever won so I'm really happy with the great week here."
Aside from victories in both Adelaide and Linz, the world No. 12 also reached the final of the women's doubles at this year’s Australian Open.
"I mean I just take one match at a time, as I said, with no expectations,” she explained.
“It's really amazing to win two singles trophies this year already and winning a doubles trophy as well, playing in the Australian Open final, it's like four tournaments and four finals which is really great.
“I'm just happy with the way I'm playing this year. I feel like I'm more mature and more confident with my game, so it even motivates me more to work hard and get back to the top 10."
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