Ostapenko dressed for success in Linz SF victory

Jelena Ostapenko got “lucky” with her choice of ourtfit as the sturdy Latvian powed into her second WTA final in as many months to reach the Sunday title showdown in Linz.

January’s Adelaide titleholder and top seed in Upper Austria this week downed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 6-3, winning.her sixth match from  seven meetings in the series against the 2015 champion here..

Ostapenko, the world No. 12 knocking on the door of a return to the Top 10. fired ten aces, winning her front of VIP tournament guest and 2010 champion Ana Ivanovic, who flew in for the weekend

Ostapenko will face off in the final on indoor hardcourt against, second seed No. 2 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, whom she defeated a month ago in the Adelaide semis.

Alexandrova booked her spot over Donna Vekic 5-7, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6). The tournament top two seeds will meet in the final for the first time here since 2020 when Aryna Sabalenka beat Elise Mertens.

“I played my heart out, my level was very good, but I couldn’t do much more today,” Vekic, who led 5-1 in the final-set tiebreaker and saved a match point, said.

Prague-based Alexandrova will be playing her second Linz final after losing in 2018 to Italian Camila Giorgi.

“I always play well here. In fact, I don’t play better at any other tournament,” the second-seeded winner ranked 21st said. .

“The final will be another difficult affair. Jelena hits a lot of winners and it’s so difficult to play against her.

“A win would mean so much to me. I played my first final here. And to win the title now would be incredible.”
 
Ostapenko, whose sometimes wacky look is curated by a Latvian designer friend in the garment game, claimed her “lucky” dress – which she co-designed – helped her along,

“The final will be very tough, but I feel like I’m playing better match by match,” she said. 

. Hopefully I can do it all again tomorrow, and I hope you’ll all come along and cheer me on.”

Main photo:- Jelena Ostapenko in her “lucky” dress by Alexander Scheuber