Korea Open 2022 final: Jelena Ostapenko vs Ekaterina Alexandrova preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (1) Jelena Ostapenko vs (2) Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Date: September 25, 2022.
Tournament: Korea Open 2022.
Round: Final.
Venue: Seoul, South Korea.
Category: WTA 250.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $251,750.
Match timing: Not before 3 pm local time, 6 am GMT, and 11:30 am IST.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Ekaterina Alexandrova preview
2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko will square off against World No. 24 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final of the 2022 Korea Open on Sunday.
After a couple of tough three-set victories, Ostapenko eased past Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva in the quarterfinals. She was up against 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu in the semifinals.
The Latvian's level was a little subpar in the opening set. Coupled with Raducanu playing quite well, she was on the back foot for most of it. She leveled the score after going down an early break, but was unable to do so for the second time. The teenager bagged the last three games of the set to clinch the opener.
Ostapenko stepped up her game in the second set. The two were evenly matched and it was shaping up to be a competitive battle. With the score at 3-2, Raducanu took a medical timeout. The Brit looked a little hampered upon her return and was unable to play with the same intensity as before.
The 25-year-old raced to a 5-2 lead and soon captured the second set. She jumped to a 3-0 lead in the decider, but Raducanu couldn't continue playing anymore and retired from the match. The Latvian won 4-6, 6-3, 3-0 (ret.) to reach her third final of the season.
Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated Asia Muhammad, Na-lae Han and Lulu Sun to set up a semifinal showdown with Tatjana Maria. The Russian was off to a strong start as she quickly jumped to a 4-0 lead. Her opponent showed brief signs of a fightback by winning the next two games.
However, Alexandrova bagged the next couple of games to take the set. She once again led by 4-0 to start the second set. Maria went on a three-game run to make it 4-3. After another game, Maria served to stay in the match 5-3 and saved a match point as well.
Nevertheless, Alexandrova wrapped things up in the next game to win 6-2, 6-4 and advance to her second final of the year.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Ekaterina Alexandrova head-to-head
The two have faced off four times prior to this on the WTA tour, with Alexandrova leading 3-1 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2022 Madrid Open in three sets.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Ekaterina Alexandrova odds
All odds are sourced from BetMGM.
Jelena Ostapenko vs Ekaterina Alexandrova prediction
Ostapenko was off to a slow start in the semifinals and a repeat of that could cost her the title in the next round. She struck 40 winners, compared to 29 unforced errors in the previous round. Alexandrova, too, fired a decent number of winners at 29.
Both players employ a similar style of play. Each likes to dictate the match from the baseline with their booming groundstrokes. Alexandrova's serve is slightly better than the Latvian's, and could give her the edge she needs to lift the trophy.
Back in 2018, they faced off for the first time in this very tournament, with the Russian ending Ostapenko's title defense in the second round. Alexandrova certainly knows how to handle her opponent based on her winning record against her.
Ostapenko has looked a little shaky throughout the tournament, but has managed to find her way out of trouble so far. However, she might find it tough to do so against Alexandrova based on how she has played in Seoul so far.
Pick: Ekaterina Alexandrova to win in three sets.