‘PENKO’ is back and thriving on the WTA Tour with Latvian former Top 5 player and Grand Slam winner Jelena Ostapenko snapping her horror start to 2025 by reaching the quarter finals of the 2025 Qatar Open WTA1000 event in Doha.

A mind-blowing demolition of Italian world number four Jasmine Paolini was on the menu overnight, with Ostapenko dropping just four games en route to the last eight in the Round of 16 clash. Picking up just her second singles win for 2025 in the opening round, the Latvian has since accounted for two seeds – Paolini and Liudmila Samsonova – but after scraping through against the latter, won 6-2 6-2 against the Italian on Centre Court.

Ostapenko has always had the flair for the dramatic, but when she is fired up, she is at her brutal best, knowing only one way – power. She essentially worked Paolini off the court throughout the match, smashing 37 winners to 17 – including nine aces – while only committing 22 unforced errors in the process.

She only dropped seven points off her first serve (22/29) and faced three break points, saving two. Meanwhile, Ostapenko converted five of eight off the Paolini serve, and won five and then six consecutive games in both sets to go from 0-1 to 5-1 in the first, and from 0-2 to 6-2 in the second for a comprehensive 6-2 6-2 triumph.

Ostapenko said she had fond memories of Doha, where she reached her first ever WTA Tour final as an 18-year-old way back in 2016.

“I feel very special playing in Doha, because I feel this is the place where everything started for me,” Ostapenko said post-match.

Now having notched up more wins in the past four days as previously for the entire 2025 season, Ostapenko has a taste for victory, though will be tested across the remainder of the draw in the tough half of the WTA1000 event.

Next up is returning former world number two Ons Jabeur after the Tunisian accounted for wildcard Sofia Kenin in straight sets 6-3 6-4, with the winner of Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek – a reigning three-time titleholder in Doha – or Elena Rybakina set to be her semi-finals opponent if she wins.

Swiatek came back from a set down to defeat young Czech Linda Noskova and keep the hope of a fourth straight title alive. 6-7 6-4 6-4. Rybakina on the other hand shook off an early challenge from Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova to win 7-6 6-2.

In the other Round of 16 results, sixth seed Jessica Pegula became the last seed left in her half, overcoming 10th seeded Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3 7-5. She has red-hot Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova up next with Alexandrova winning her eighth straight match coming off a Linz title by defeating Belgian Elise Mertens. Hard-hitters Marta Kostyuk and Amanda Anisimova will face off in the other quarter final.

2025 QATAR OPEN WTA1000 – ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[2] Iga Swiatek (POL) defeated Linda Noskova (CZE) 6-7 6-4 6-4
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) defeated Jamine Paolini (ITA) 6-2 6-2
[5] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) defeated Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) 7-6 6-2
[6] Jessica Pegula (USA) defeated [10] Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 6-3 7-5
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) defeated Magda Linette (POL) 6-4 6-2
Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) defeated Elise Mertens (BEL) 6-4 6-2
Ons Jabeur (TUN) defeated [WC] Sofia Kenin (USA) 6-3 6-4
Amanda Anisimova (USA) defeated Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 6-3 6-0