DOHA, Qatar — Amanda Anisimova claimed her first WTA 1000 title when she beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the Qatar Open on Saturday.
Ranked No. 41 in the world, Anisimova became the lowest-ranked player to win the tournament as she beat six top-40 opponents en route to her third singles title.
The American was ranked as low as No. 359 in 2023 when she took a break from the game due to burnout and for her mental health, but the 23-year-old has been on the rise since her comeback and is set to move up to 18th in the rankings — her first appearance inside the top 20.
Anisimova is only the second American to win the title, following Monica Seles in 2002, while Ostapenko has now finished runner-up in Doha for a second time, having also lost in the 2016 final.
“There’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of tears and a lot of good moments,” Anisimova said. “With tennis, you kind of experience it all, but that’s also why I love it. There have been a lot of challenges the last few weeks. I’m very proud of myself and happy with how I’ve dealt with them.”
After rain briefly paused play in the opening set, Anisimova broke first to lead 3-2, but that fired up Ostapenko as she won nine straight points to go 4-3 up.
But Anisimova regained her advantage, using her backhand to good effect, and broke Ostapenko again before she served out the set as the Latvian dropped a set for the first time in the tournament.
Ostapenko had the opportunity to go up 2-0 in the second but failed to convert break points. As Ostapenko took out her frustrations at her team, Anisimova broke early to take a 2-1 lead and leave her opponent fuming during the changeover.
Ostapenko asked a member of her team to leave her box and won the next seven points, but she lost her momentum after another 25-minute rain delay.
With Ostapenko serving to stay in the match, Anisimova had two championship points, and she sealed the title on her second with yet another devastating backhand, falling to the court and holding her face in disbelief.