Jelena Ostapenko reveals her ‘plan’ behind getting past Iga Swiatek as she betters her record against the Polish star to 5-0
Jelena Ostapenko defeated three-time Qatar Open champion Iga Swiatek at the semifinals of the 2025 Qatar Open.
Follow Us
Iga Swiatek and Jelena Ostapenko (via X)
Jelena Ostapenko‘s 2025 season was marked by early exits first at Adelaide International, and then at the Australian Open, followed by the Abu Dhabi Open. However, she turned the tables with her performance at the Qatar Open. She has had a spectacular run at Doha so far, not dropping a set on her way to the finals.
With her win against Iga Swiatek at the Qatar Open semifinals, the Latvian is perhaps making her one-sided record against the World No. 2 as certain as death and taxes. Ostapenko outplayed the three-time Qatar Open champion with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-1 at the semifinals.
I was pretty confident that I will win against her. We played a lot of matches, and I know how to play her. I’m really happy with how I’m handling my emotions this week. Just so happy to be in the final.
Jelena Ostapenko after beating Iga Swiatek in Doha
Jelena Ostapenko after beating Iga Swiatek in Doha
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 14, 2025
“I was pretty confident that I will win against her. We played a lot of matches & I know how to play her. I’m really happy with how I’m handling my emotions this week. Just so happy to be in the final”
pic.twitter.com/umef37QG3Z
Jelena Ostapenko now leads the head-to-head against Iga Swiatek 5-0. Their first encounter was at Birmingham in 2019 in the round of 32, where Ostapenko defeated Swiatek in straight sets, even producing a bagel in the first set. After this, they have subsequently met each other at the round of 16 of various tournaments, until the Qatar Open semifinal.
They next met in 2021 in Indian Wells, where Ostapenko again defeated Swiatek in straight sets. Their next meeting was in Dubai in 2022, and then at the 2023 US Open, where Ostapenko defeated Swiatek both times in three sets.
Iga Swiatek was aiming for a fourth consecutive Qatar Open title
Doha has since the past few years been Iga Swiatek’s bounceback tournament after a ‘dissapointing’ Australian Open swing. The Pole was eyeing for a fourth consecutive title this year, with victories in the finals over Anett Kontaveit in 2022, Jessica Pegula in 2023, and Elena Rybakina in 2024 to clinch the Qatar Open title.
The 2025 Qatar Open has seen early exits of many top-ranked players, viz. Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Emma Navarro, and Paula Badosa, who all lost in the second round. In fact, it will be the first time since 2015 that the Qatar Open final will be contested by two unseeded players. Jelena Ostapenko will face Amanda Anisimova in the finals.
Swiatek has had a pretty upsetting 2025 season so far, being mostly a match or two away from winning a title. She commenced her 2025 season with the United Cup, where she lost to World No. 3 Coco Gauff in the finals.
Stay Updated!
Lakshya Chopra
(2640 Articles Published)