QATAR TOTAL ENERGIES OPEN

February 13, 2025

Jelena Ostapenko

Press Conference

J. OSTAPENKO/O. Jabeur

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Jelena, congratulations on making it into the semifinals. Can you give us some comments on the match.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: It's a really great tournament. As I said, I have great memories from here, especially from 2016, and I really enjoy to play here so much, and, yeah, just really happy with the way I was playing these matches.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. You're playing Iga in the next round, and you have a perfect head-to-head against her, your thoughts on that match.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I just have to play my game and focus on myself, and, yeah, that's pretty much it. I have to recover today, and just be ready for a battle tomorrow.

Q. As you said, you have very nice memories here. What do you remember from, what, it's been nine years already since you won here? Anyway, what do you remember about this tournament, what do you like the most?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: From 2016, that I made my biggest final before winning a Grand Slam. I really always like this tournament. I feel like this is the place where everything kind of started for me, like the big final, and then I won a Grand Slam. I think it's a special place, and I just enjoy it so much here.

Q. You came here with just one win in singles, now you won four games in a row without a set dropped. You've had some enthusiastic moments to come here in Doha, because if we look at your results, not only singles, you have also like four finals in doubles, and titles, so how is it to come back here knowing that you have these results in the past years?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Like which results?

Q. In singles and in doubles.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Like here?

Q. Yeah.

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I mean, as I said, this is a very special place, and, I mean, honestly, I don't really care how I did like last few weeks, like losing singles or, yeah, I won also doubles, but I did a really good pre-season and I feel like few matches just like didn't go my way, but I was playing still like good.

Even like last week against Ons, it was a very close match, so I knew I will have my chances today, and I just focused more on myself, just played aggressive. I think I'm just back in, getting back into form, and getting back to playing very good tennis.

Q. Also, your trust, I think it's really high after those really good results in doubles, Australian Open and Abu Dhabi, they helped you a lot to surpass the losses in singles?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I think it helps me a lot to motivate myself to play better in singles because I feel that I'm a singles player, even if I have really good results and winning a Grand Slam in doubles, but still, like, I'm a singles player, I think, so that's where I have to improve and play well.

Q. Speaking about playing both singles and doubles, USTA announced that they pushed the mixed doubles a week before the main draw started, so do you have any opinion on that, and are you planning to play mixed doubles because of that new schedule?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: I honestly just saw it, like I didn't read it fully. I'm playing the tournament now, so I will take care of that stuff later, so we'll see. I don't know, I didn't really get into that yet.

Q. Of course, everybody knows that your play style is very aggressive, which is kind of risky, because sometimes, you know, it comes with unforced errors as well. When you missed some opportunities, or when you make some unforced errors, how do you reset your mind to go to the next point?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: This is normal with the way I'm playing, aggressive is normal. I miss some balls, it doesn't matter if I miss a ball, I move forward, just play the next one, I will have many opportunities still. It doesn't matter, the main thing is that I'm in control of the match most of the time, and when I need to play, and in deciding moments, if I play aggressive that's what's going to bring me good result.

Q. Do you have any specific routine to maintain your focus or something between points?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Don't be hard on myself (laughing).

Q. What did you think of the crowd today? You said on court that they motivated you; is that true?

JELENA OSTAPENKO: Yeah, thanks to them, especially between serves. No, no. Honestly, like between serves, I think, I know Ons is their favorite, and this is like very normal, I respect that, but, you know, between serves, shouting and whistling and coughing, I think it's a little bit disrespectful, not only to me, if this happens to any other player I think they should be taken care of.

But in general, of course I respect Ons, I respect the crowds, and I feel like some moments they were even motivating me better, like more and more, and I was playing even better, so I kind of like it, you know.