DOHA — 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 which will see the American break into the top 20 for the first time in her career.
Ranked 41 in the world, Anisimova also 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 359 in 2023 when she took a break from the game due to burnout as it took a toll on 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.
Anisimova is only the second American to win the title, following in the footsteps of Monica Seles in 2002, while Ostapenko has now finished runner-up in Doha for a second time having also lost in the 2016 final.
“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.” — Reuters
