Linz winner Alexandrova sees the game differently now

After winning the Upper Austria Ladies Linz title, Ekaterina Alexandrova went through a round of interviews before being whisked away to the Francisco Carolinum Linz, a striking modern and contemporary art museum. There, amid the soaring marble pillars of the airy lobby, she posed on red-carpeted stairs, holding the crystal trophy that had eluded her in the past — a hard-earned reward after a final that took an unexpected turn.

Serving impeccably, Alexandrova won nine of the first 11 games. And then, just when it appeared to be over, Dayana Yastremska came back to take nine in a row.

With Yastremska serving at 5-5, 40-0 in the third set, Alexandrova found herself flashing back to the two previous times she was on the verge of losing in the Linz final. It happened in 2018 against Camila Giorgi and again last year, when Jelena Ostapenko wrested away the title.

“Yes, yes,” the No. 4 seed Alexandrova said a few hours later. “You are thinking, ‘This is the moment. I need to do it right now. I need to take it.’

“But whenever you think ‘I need to win it now,’ it’s much harder. You just can’t think it’s the last games of the match. Do every single point, not be in a rush, not think too much — just do what is necessary.”

Easier said than done, of course, but that’s just what Alexandrova did.

Beginning with an extraordinary backhand return winner that clipped the line, she went on to win seven straight points and, after squandering four match points, converted the fifth. She was a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 winner and one last errant backhand from Yastremska sent her tumbling to the court, head in hands.

A few moments later, a series of furious double fist pumps underlined what it truly meant to her.

“It feels amazing,” she said in an interview with wtatennis.com. “I always wanted to win in Linz, but it was so difficult. The match was super tough physically and emotionally and super tough to close — because you feel like you have it in your hands.

“I was just glad I could make it through the match, to play every single point, no matter what. I’m really proud of myself.”

She had lost three of four matches to start the year, but when she arrived in Linz — her comfort zone — there was a sense of relief. Alexandrova took down top seed Karolina Muchova in the semifinals and No. 5 Yastremska in a wild final that ran 2 hours and 12 minutes. It’s her fifth career title, her second WTA 500 and her first tournament victory since 2023 ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Alexandrova has played seven main draws in Linz and reached three finals and two semifinals. Her record under the roof at TipsArena is now a searing 20-7. What is it about Linz?

Growing up, Alexandrova played most of her tennis indoors, from September to May, when it’s too cold to play outside.

“I just feel really comfortable indoors,” she said, laughing. “I can feel my serve much better. And when I’m feeling my serve, it just helps me a lot. The surface and the ball — everything just suits my type of game. There’s no sun, no wind, no anything.

“Everything is predictable so you know how it’s going to bounce, just like you can think only about how you need to play, what you need to do, not to be frustrated by many other obstacles.”

Yastremska has long been a standout talent. She captured her first career title in Hong Kong at 18 and became the first woman born in the 2000s to break into the Top 100 — ahead of Iga Swiatek, Zheng Qinwen and others.

Her all-or-nothing game was in rare form this tournament as she defeated No. 3 Maria Sakkari and No. 8 Clara Tauson to advance to the final. Yastremska had 39 winners in the semifinal against Tauson, but in the final 42 unforced errors — and eight double faults — ultimately cost her.

In that pivotal 11th game of the third set, Alexandrova wasn’t sure if the backhand return was in or out.

“But,” Alexandrova said, “there was no call, so for me it was in. So now it’s 40-15 and if you win one more point, for 40-30, then there’s some thoughts in her head. Maybe she feels she has to close it.”

Sure enough, Yastremska — who looked to be headed for a decisive tiebreak — double-faulted, then missed a forehand and two backhands. Thus, Alexandrova moves up five spots to No. 25 in PIF WTA rankings on Monday; her career-high mark is No. 15, achieved last spring.

On Sunday, back at the tournament site, the 30-year-old Alexandrova reflected on what it means to still be competing at a high level as she enters her 30s.

“Maybe you finally grew up on the court,” Alexandrova said. “Maybe less emotions and more thinking. Not being too frustrated with little mistakes. More grateful for the moment.

“I want to continue this way during the season. Not to have huge goals — well, Top 20, of course — but focus on the things I need to do on the court instead of what I want to achieve.”