Hard-hitting Latvian firebrand Jelena Ostapenko has announced herself as a genuine contender for the Australian Open, trouncing Daria Kasatkina in the final of the Adelaide International.
Ostapenko celebrated her return to the top 10 for the first time since 2018 by collecting her seventh WTA crown from 15 finals with a clinical 6-3 6-2 triumph at Memorial Drive on Saturday night.
The world No.12 blasted 32 winners to Kasatkina's 12, the Latvian's fast-and-furious forehand wing devastating her outgunned opponent, who was also vying for her seventh title.
"In all moments I tried to play aggressive, in deciding moments especially, to put pressure on her," Ostapenko said.
"I have the game to be there (top 10) and I'm playing aggressively, I'm playing more consistently and I'm more mature as a player.
"I'm really, really happy ... also a bit tired but it's worth it."
While Kasatkina received back-to-back walkovers to enter the finale without having played since Wednesday, Ostapenko took the scenic route to the silverware.
The sixth seed overcame tricky early round duels with Sorana Cirstea and Caroline Garcia, while a leg injury forced her withdrawal from the doubles draw.
But the aggressive 26-year-old faced few difficulties in her 74-minute destruction of the unseeded Kasatkina, who was runner-up to Switzerland's Belinda Bencic in Adelaide last year.
After an early scare, Ostapenko sealed the opening set with a neat drop shot before leaping ahead by a break early in the second courtesy of a tremendous 13th forehand winner.
The 2017 Roland Garros champion broke again for 4-1 after knifing a sensational, side-spinning backhand slice well beyond Kasatkina's reach.
The Russian jagged one of the breaks back but her deficit was too great, finally pushing a forehand long to hand Ostapenko victory.
"I want to congratulate 'Alona' (Ostapenko) on a great week," Kasatkina said.
"I must say that we've had our issues with you before but now I'm really happy we can be on the same stage in a peaceful environment and that's great."
