Munir Rahouma (Dubai)
Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority “Dubai Culture”, member of the Dubai Council, crowned Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, “ranked 21” in the world, with the title of “22nd edition” of the Dubai International Tennis Championship, in the presence of Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, President of the Tennis Federation, where the Latvian player joined the world champions who won the championship, after defeating Russian Veronika Kudretova, ranked 31st in the world, 6-0, 6-4 in the final.
Ostapenko won the fifth title in her professional career, after winning the title of “Roland Garros 2017,” Seoul, Luxembourg, Eastbourne and Dubai, and became the first player from Latvia to win the Dubai Tennis Championship, in an unprecedented achievement for the “yellow ball” players in her country.
Ostapenko, 24, surpassed a group of strong players in the Dubai Championship, and beat two-time winner Simona Halep in the semi-finals, after an exceptional confrontation that ended 2-6, 7-6, 6-0.
During this edition, Ostapenko also defeated four former Grand Slam champions, Sofia Kenin, Iga Schwetik, Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep, confirming her strong return to the world stage from the Dubai gate.
Ostapenko expressed her great happiness at winning her first title in the Dubai Championship, considering it an important station in her professional career, especially since the “22nd edition” witnessed the participation of a group of the best works in the world.