Jelena Ostapenko wins 2023 title, sixth career, over Barbora Krejcikova in Birmingham Classic final
Posted : 25 June 2023
Jelena Ostapenko emerged victorious in the Birmingham Classic, securing her first title of the season with a 7-6(8), 6-4 win over top-seeded Barbora Krejcikova. Despite a tightly contested opening set without any breaks, Ostapenko's power prevailed in the tie-break, though Krejcikova fought back valiantly.
In the second set, Ostapenko surged ahead to a 5-1 lead, which was narrowed down to 5-4 before she held her serve to secure the victory. Both players aimed to fine-tune their grass-court game in preparation for the upcoming Wimbledon tournament.
The intense match lasted nearly two hours, with Ostapenko successfully fending off a comeback attempt from her opponent in the second set.
This win marks Ostapenko's sixth career title and her first of the season since her triumph in Seoul, South Korea, back in September 2022.
Notably, her previous grass-court victory dates back to two years ago in Eastbourne. Krejcikova's performance in Birmingham propelled her back into the top 10 rankings.
Meanwhile, in Germany, world number nine Petra Kvitova claimed her second title of the season by defeating Donna Vekic, ranked 23rd in the world, with a score of 6-2, 7-6(6) at the Berlin Open. Kvitova, who already secured the Miami Open earlier in 2023, now boasts a total of six grass-court titles heading into Wimbledon, an event she has won twice in the past.
With an impressive record of 12 wins in her last 13 grass-court matches, Kvitova showcased her form and had a relatively comfortable first set, although the second set required a tie-break.
Vekic initially took a 3-1 lead in the tie-break, but Kvitova managed to level the score and eventually moved ahead 5-4. Despite a set point opportunity for Vekic, Kvitova saved it and capitalized on her chance to claim the championship point.
Both Ostapenko and Kvitova's victories serve as significant boosts to their confidence and form ahead of the prestigious Wimbledon tournament, where they aim to excel on the grass courts.
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