Jelena Ostapenko delivered a stunning performance to end Iga Swiatek‘s three-year dominance at the Qatar Totalenergies Open, defeating the world number two in straight sets. The Latvian needed just 68 minutes to secure a commanding 6-3 6-1 victory, advancing to her 17th career WTA final and maintaining her flawless record against Swiatek.
This semifinal result marks Swiatek’s most lopsided defeat in nearly two years. The last time she lost so decisively was against Elena Rybakina at the 2023 Indian Wells tournament, where she fell 6-2 6-2. Coming into Doha, Swiatek had won 15 consecutive matches at the event and was pursuing a fourth straight title. However, Ostapenko’s aggressive, fearless play put an abrupt end to that streak.
Ostapenko, currently ranked 37th in the world, has now beaten Swiatek in all five of their encounters, making her the only active player with a positive head-to-head record against the Polish star. The Latvian’s dominance over Swiatek began in 2019, with their first meeting in Birmingham when Ostapenko won 6-0 6-2. Since then, she has consistently found ways to disrupt Swiatek’s rhythm with her powerful groundstrokes and aggressive returns.
The match began with Ostapenko asserting her intent from the very first point, blasting a forehand winner…
