Jelena Ostapenko eases past Veronika Kudemertova 6-0 6-4 after just 65 minutes to win the fifth WTA title of her career at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
After this title Ostapenko is projected to rise to world number 21 to number 13 in the WTA Ranking. The Latvian player will return to the top 20 for the first time since October 2018. She defeated four Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin, Iga Swiatek, Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep en route to the final.
Ostapenko won her second bagel set in a row after cruising through to a 6-0 win in the third set against Simona Halep in the third set.
Ostapenko earned three breaks, won 81 % of her service points and never faced a break point in the opening set.
Ostapenko dropped his serve in the first game of the first game of the second set but she broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. The 2017 French Open champion broke for the second game in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. Kudemertova broke straight back in the ninth game to pull back on serve from 4-5. Ostapenko hit return winners to earn two championships points and converted her second opportunity with an error-forcing forehand.
“I think I played really well today. I am really with the whole week, because it was very opponents I had to face every round. Today I knew it was going to be a tough match, and I went on the court very focused. I really wanted to win because I love to play in the final, but I hate to lose in the final, so I really wanted to get that title. I think my mentality was good today and I was playing well”, said Ostapenko.
