Last year’s runner-up Jeļena Ostapenko will take on eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round of the Qatar Open. Whoever out of the two comes out on top, will take on either Kateřina Siniaková or Camila Osorio in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament.
Ostapenko’s form has been disappointing shortly after her victory at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix last April and she is staring at a considerable drop in the WTA rankings. The Latvian booked her place in the second round in Doha after a hard-fought 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 win over Anastasia Zakharova.
Alexandrova entered the WTA 1000 event at the back of a runner-up finish at the Abu Dhabi Open. The Russian received a bye to the second round by virtue of her seeding.
Jeļena Ostapenko vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova Match Details
Date: Feb. 10, 2026
Tournament: Qatar Open 2026
Round: Second Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Doha, Qatar
Surface: Outdoor hard
Category: WTA 1000
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, TSN, RDS, Sky Sports
Ostapenko vs. Alexandrova Head-to-Head
The two have locked horns 11 times previously, with the Latvian leading their head-to-head 6-5. In fact, Ostapenko has won each of their last four encounters, including their most recent one, which came in Stuttgart last year.
Ostapenko vs. Alexandrova Prediction
Alexandrova is the on-paper favorite to win the match but Ostapenko’s record against the Russian cannot be overlooked. Hence, we can always expect the Latvian to put on a tough fight.
The Russian served 13 aces in Abu Dhabi but also amassed 16 double faults, something she will look to avoid doing against Ostapenko. She loves to hit her shots flat and will look to be as aggressive as possible.
Ostapenko did not have the most impressive of service performances in her match against Zakharova but she did produce nine aces and will be eager to fetch more free points against Alexandrova. The Latvian also served seven double faults and cannot afford to give away too many points to the Russian.
Ostapenko has always adopted an aggressive brand of tennis but some solid defense can also be crucial for her in order to get another victory over Alexandrova. The 28-year-old will also have to be careful not to overhit her shots.
While Ostapenko has an edge in the head-to-head, Alexandrova has been considerably better than her over the past 10 months. So, there is a fair chance of the Russian getting her first win over the former French Open champion since 2022.
Pick: Alexandrova to win in three sets.
