Ostapenko takes home Dubai Tennis crown

DUBAI: Latvian former French Open singles champion Jelena Ostapenko stormed to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships title, dispatching Veronika Kudermetova of Russia 6-0, 6-4 for her fifth career crown.

The world No. 31 Ostapenko, who was ranked as high as No.5 in March 2018 following a string of superb performances including her Roland Garros crown in 2017, eased to victory after 65 minutes and is projected to rise in the rankings from No.31 to No.13 on Monday, according to wtatennis.com.

Kudermetova, though, had the consolation of winning the doubles title alongside Belgium's Elise Mertens, dismissing Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine in the final.

"I think I played really well today," Ostapenko was quoted as saying by wtatennis.com late on Saturday night. "In general, I'm really happy with the whole week, because it was very tough opponents I had to face every round."

Ostapenko defeated four of her fellow Grand Slam champions to reach the final — American Sofia Kenin, Poland's Iga Swiatek, Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, and Simona Halep of Romania. IANS

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