OF COURSE it just had to be ‘Penko’. The only player in four years that could stop Iga Swiatek in Doha, Latvian hard-hitter Jelena Ostapenko not only beat the world number two in the event where she has won the past three titles, but completely humbled her in a one-sided contest.

Ostapenko ran out a 6-3 6-1 victor over Swiatek in a result that may not have been shocking given the former’s 4-0 head-to-head coming into the match, but the score itself was mind-bogging. The Polish star had an unlucky semi-final against Madison Keys at the Australian Open, but otherwise bulldozed her way through everyone else.

On the other hand, Ostapenko could not buy a win on the singles court. Though she made the Australian Open doubles final, and won in Abu Dhabi, her singles season was nothing short of horrific. Then along came Doha, and it all changed. The prime ‘Penko’ was back and she has now taken out two Top 5 players in Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini, dropping an average of two games a set against the pair.

Statistically, Ostapenko put up a dominance rating of 1.69, was only broken once, and converted half of her 10 break points against the second seed. In the space of a week, Ostapenko has gone from a 1-3 record to 6-4, and swiftly returned to the Top 30 after dropping out recently.

She out-hit Swiatek, producing 31 winners to the Pole’s eight, while also surprisingly committing two less unforced errors (15-17). Her first and second serve percentages of 69 and 64 per cent were far superior to that of Swiatek’s 48 and 37 per cent.

“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 post-match. “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.”

It has become a clear mental battle between the pair that Ostapenko has within her control. Swiatek looked frustrated – so much so she smashed a racquet in frustration – and the player who so often just dismantles opposition players with focus and determination, was herself being picked apart by a red-hot power machine.

“Obviously I was preparing for the match, and I pretty much knew what to expect from her,” Ostapenko said. “I don’t know, sometimes I know where the ball’s coming, but sometimes I’m just going with my feelings and my instincts, so that helps me.”

Ostapenko will now face Amanda Anisimova in the final after the American knocked off Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets, 6-3 6-3. An in-form player herself, Alexandrova had beaten some quality names along the way including world number one Aryna Sabalenka, but fell to the hard-hitting American in 91 minutes.

Anisimova hit 25 winners to 13,, including four aces among those with a 60 and 61 per cent first and second serve percentage. She was only broken once from 10 chances, while converting four of her own breaks off the Russian’s serve.

2025 QATAR OPEN WTA1000 – SEMI-FINALS RESULTS:

Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) defeated [2] Iga Swiatek (POL) 6-3 6-1
Amanda Anisimova (USA) defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-3 6-3