Jelena Ostapenko triumphed over Anastasia Zakharova in a closely contested match that lasted two hours and forty minutes, winning with scores of 6-7 (6:8), 6-3, 6-4. This victory marks a crucial moment for Ostapenko, who currently holds the 24th position in the WTA rankings, as she seeks to build momentum after a challenging start to her season. Notably, she faces a significant challenge ahead, as she will need to defend ten times more ranking points in this tournament than she gained from reaching the second round.

In this upcoming round, Ostapenko is set to compete against Yekaterina Alexandrova, who is seeded 8th and currently ranks 10th in the WTA. Initially, Ostapenko was scheduled to face Paula Badosa, but the Spanish player withdrew due to an injury, paving the way for this matchup. Ostapenko's journey to this point has been fraught with difficulty, as she started the season with two consecutive losses, extending a losing streak that reached six matches, including early exits in both the Australian Open and the Abu Dhabi 'WTA 500' tournaments.

Despite these setbacks, Ostapenko's victory against Zakharova may signify a turning point in her season. Both players entered the tournament following disappointing performances, with Zakharova also having lost her first match at the Australian Open and the second round at the Cluj-Napoca tournament. Ostapenko will be hoping to capitalize on her success against Zakharova as she prepares for her next match, aiming to regain her form and improve her standing in the WTA rankings.