“I think it’s going to go to 5-5 or 6-6" - Ostapenko delays press conference as she correctly predicts outcome to Swiatek-Sakkari match

Jelena Ostapenko was the first player to book their spot in the Qatar Open quarter-final after a well-deserved 7-5, 6-4 victory over Elisabetta Cocciaretto. Normally players would navigate towards the press conference room but in this case the Latvian made the reporters wait as she saw out the rest of the Iga Swiatek-Maria Sakkari matchup, correctly predicting the outcome.

Ostapenko had been under a lot of pressure to defend the ranking points she won from last year when she reached the final. A huge plummet in the ranking seemed to be on the cards but after some impressive showings, including her last-eight clash against Cocciaretto, she has saved the majority of points won with the chance to fight for a first WTA 1000 title in a place she has had so much joy.

A third final is possibly on the cards, which is the same number of finals Swiatek had made, only she won all of them in consecutive years. After missing out on continuing the trend last year, the Pole travelled to Doha as the number one seed looking to get back to her best form.

Her quarter-final task was against a resurging Maria Sakkari who was also looking to roll back the years and produce some of the tennis she was known to produce. Swiatek took the first set and had looked like she could run away with this, but Sakkari continued to fight and levelled the match up.

The Greek women broke the serve and sailed into a 5-3 lead but was pegged back by a charging Swiatek. It was a very dramatic match in which no one could take their eyes off it. This was the case for Ostapenko, who moved back her media duties to watch the rest of the contest.

“I think it’s going to go to 5-5 or 6-6,” Ostapenko confidently stated, perched near a TV showing live coverage of the match. She predicted the outcome when Sakkari was serving for the match and was correct with the tie being prolonged even further. Whoever had won could have huge implications on Ostapenko's future opponent if she reaches the final.

After failing to take her first match point, Sakkari broke the serve very late on as she finished with a bang to sink Swiatek's title hopes and climax a thrilling matchup. Ostapenko could finally go and complete her media duties after delaying it for around 10 minutes.

When finally making her way to her press conference, Ostapenko cleared up why she enjoys watching other tennis matches. “Sometimes I really like to watch some matches because there's some really great matches,” Ostapenko began by saying. “Sometimes I am not in the mood to watch matches. So when I watch matches, of course I analyse and I take some things what I can use against those players.”

It has been a brilliant week in Doha for the former French Open champion who continues to love playing in Qatar. “I feel like when I get in the game mode, like every match, also playing singles and doubles, I think I play better and better, and I get more used to the courts, the conditions,” she commented.

“Tennis is such a great sport because almost every next week we have opportunities to play again and again. So, if you're going to keep your head in losses, it's not very good for you. You just have to take some lessons from the matches you lose and move forward.”

Her focus will solely be on the upcoming threat of Victoria Mboko in the semi-finals who will debut in the top 10 in the world after taking down the reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina in another stunning clash.