Korea Open 2022 Final: Ekaterina Alexandrova defeats Jelena Ostapenko

Jelena Ostapenko was aiming for a consecutive Korea Open title, but Alexandrova proved that she wouldn't let that happen so quickly. 

Ostapenko would've become the first-ever player to win two consecutive titles in South Korea after the 2017 win. Sadly for her, the no. 2 seed and world no. 24 defeated her to shatter her dream of making a world record. 

Alexandrova defeated Ostapenko 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 at the Olympic Park Tennis Center, where the finals of the Korea Open occurred on Sunday, Sept 25. 

"I just love the tournament and the city," said Alexandrova after winning the title. She also spoke of her love for Korean cuisine and how wonderful the past week had been for her, both in terms of her victory and how much she enjoyed the city. 

Meanwhile, Ostapenko was highly disappointed with the way the finals went. She told the press that her foot injury played a significant role in losing the title this season.

"I had to take the chances in the first set when I had them. Next time, I will come back stronger," said Ostapenko after losing the finals today. 

Today's match was a classic to-and-fro match where both contenders seemed equally talented and had a hard time. Ostapenko was off to a great start getting an early 2-0, while Alexandrova soon tied the score. 

After a long and hectic first set that ran into an hour, the score tied at 5-5 and led to a tie-breaker round that Alexandrova won 7-4, closing the first set at 7-6. 

The second set was relatively easy for Alexandrova, with the set closing at 5-0, making her the champion. The second set only lasted 25 minutes, giving the no. 2 seed an easy win over her opponent, defeating her in straight sets.