Swiatek, Ostapenko's favorite toy

Yes, friends. It has happened again. Jelena Ostapenko defeated Iga Swiatek in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 Doha this afternoon, which should no longer be news. It was the fifth time they faced each other, and once again, the Latvian came out victorious. In another memorable performance, stopping the clock at 70 minutes and ending her opponent's streak of fifteen consecutive wins in this tournament. The score leaves no doubt (6-3, 6-1), the one who will leave with doubts is the Polish player, the reigning three-time champion of the event, who will vacate her throne tomorrow for another player to take over. The world No. 2, who hasn't lifted a title since the last Roland Garros, has not found peace, not even here, one of her favorite venues.

While watching the players warm up, it was inevitable to think once again about the face-off between them, possibly the most brutal H2H on the current women's circuit. How could a player as good as Swiatek not have been able to defeat Ostapenko in four opportunities? What was behind this alarming 0-4 record? Obviously, we won't discover at this point the dangers and virtues of the Riga player, but with those same tools, she has been navigating since 2017 in search of a second Grand Slam title to confirm that the first one did not come by stroke of luck. The issue is that this rivalry has been tilting towards matters beyond the purely sporting for some time now. We knew this in just two minutes of play.

First game of the match, with Iga serving, first break of the match. Knowing the Polish player, her aggressive style and the infernal pace she sets from the outset, it cannot be a coincidence that none of this works when Ostapenko appears on the other side of the net. While one stepped onto the court with doubts, bad memories, and some stage fright, the other jumped in totally liberated, with nothing to lose, but with such a favorable track record that it almost pushes you down the right path without thinking. The first set ended 6-3 in 35 minutes, where Jelena showed how tough it is to take the initiative from her, and we are not just talking about Swiatek here. Any player in the world facing the Latvian in great form knows they will have a really tough time. In the case of the world No. 2, it will be a terrible time.

Knowing Swiatek, one tends to think that no scoreline will take her breath away, that she will always stand tall, waiting for the moment, looking for the spot, but there are days when you hit a brick wall. It's no longer a matter of attitude or strategy; it's the feeling of being completely at the mercy of your opponent. Is it really possible that one of the most generational players with numerous records cannot find a way to defeat Ostapenko in five encounters? Well, apparently not. There is only one thing more dangerous than Jelena Ostapenko on a tennis court: Jelena Ostapenko with confidence. That's how she kept pushing through with winners, widening a crack that was already incurable. The second set, to the dismay of those present, had even less room to maneuver than the first.

AN INCOMPARABLE PLAYER

If we step into the current locker room, we won't find anyone like her. Not just for her playing style, but also for that champion spirit that makes her shine in moments like today. Once the toughest player on the entire circuit, the best returner, the one who suffocates you as soon as she finds her rhythm… a victory in 70 minutes, enough to reach the third final of her career in a WTA 1000 tournament. By the way, a category she never conquered, having lost in the finals of Doha 2016 (to Carla Suárez) and Miami 2018 (to Sloane Stephens). Tomorrow, she will be the favorite, regardless of whether she faces Amanda Anisimova or Ekaterina Alexandrova. Let's see how the story changes.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek, el juguete favorito de Ostapenko