Ostapenko sorcery strikes Swiatek again

Jelena Ostapenko cast a spell over Iga Swiatek for the sixth straight time, with the Latvian stunning the former WTA No. 1 with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win to reach the semis at the indoor Stuttgart event on Saturday.

The Baltic bomber has never lost to the Pole and will play a Sunday semi against Ekaterina Alexandrova, who upset third seed Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-4.

Aryna Sabalenka, seeking her first trophy in Stuttgart, defeated Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-1 to reach a fourth semi-final.

The top seed may have annoyed the chair umpire by taking a photo on a contest ball mark on the clay after the official refused to check a mark on the clay..

“I felt the referee was pissed by the picture I took. When I gave her a handshake, that was a very interesting look and strong handshake,” the world No. 1 said.

The event was paused on Friday due to Good Friday and will play a Monday final.

Ostapenko, the 2017 champion at Roland Garros, secured her win in just over two hours. The result leaves four-time French Open titleholder Swiatek 

Swiatek suffered only her second defeat here after 11 match wins. But she seems defenceless against Ostapenko, who has defeated her four times on hardcourt – most recently a February Doha semi – and once on grass.

Ostapenko stated her intentions by sweeping the opening four games of the German match while breaking her opponent three times and earned 12 of the first 15 points in the deciding third set.