Amanda Anisimova secured the first WTA 1000 title of her career with a dominant 6-4, 6-3 win over Jelena Ostapenko in a rain-delayed Qatar Open final on Saturday.
Ranked 41st in the world, Anisimova becomes the lowest-ranked player to ever win the prestigious title and the first American champion in Doha since Monica Seles in 2002.
Despite Ostapenko’s impressive victory over world number two Iga Swiatek in the previous round, it was Anisimova who dominated in this final, demonstrating exceptional ball-striking and precision.
In a historic WTA 1000 final featuring two players outside the top 30, both Anisimova and Ostapenko unleashed powerful baseline rallies. But Anisimova was the more composed of the two, breaking Ostapenko’s serve twice to claim the first set in 37 minutes, the first set Ostapenko had dropped all week.
Ostapenko’s five double faults played a pivotal role in her undoing as Anisimova capitalized on every opportunity. The 23-year-old American then broke early in the second set, but Ostapenko quickly leveled the score at 3-3 before a rain delay paused play for nearly 25 minutes.
Upon resumption, Anisimova broke again to regain control and powered through the final games, sealing victory in just one hour and 21 minutes.
With the win, Anisimova adds a significant milestone to her career, showcasing her potential as one of the sport’s rising stars.
AFP
