French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko became the seventh player to qualify for this year's WTA Finals. The Latvian joins a stellar field which includes Garbiñe Muguruza, Elina Svitolina, Simona Halep, Karolina Pliskova, Venus Williams, and Caroline Wozniacki.
This is Ostapenko's first qualification for the year-end event. The 20-year-old has had a standout season which has seen her capture her first two titles of her career which includes a French Open title.
First Two Titles
If someone would tell you that your first career title at the tour-level would be a major title, you would take that all day. For Ostapenko, it was a reality. She opened up her French Open account with a close call against Louisa Chirico but followed that up with two straightforward victories.
The rest of her tournament saw her battle it out in three sets, starting with Sam Stosur. She dropped the opener against the Aussie before taking it in three and did the same against Wozniacki. It wasn't the same against Timea Bacsinszky in the semifinals as the Latvian took the opener this time around.
In the final against Halep, Ostapenko played a steady first set but did not do enough to take it as the Romanian put herself one set away from the title. Looking down and out, Ostapenko played the next two sets of her life, painting every corner and line she could fine with winners from all over the court to claim her maiden tour-level title, a French Open title.
The Asian swing saw the 20-year-old claim her second title of the year at the Korea Open. Ostapenko cruised in her first couple of matches but saw herself go the distance in her semifinal and final against Luksika Kumkhum and Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Other Notable Results
Ostapenko's first tournament of the year in Auckland saw her a set away from a final in Auckland, but down 1-4 in the decider to Lauren Davis, the Latvian retired. In her first clay tournament of the year, the 20-year-old made the Charleston final against fellow youngster Daria Kasatkina. The Latvian was outclassed by the Russian who dropped only four games en route to the title.