Most of the Tour took the week off, but for some it was an opportunity to make up for disappointment in Melbourne.

Jelena Ostapenko took that chance with two hands, winning her second title of the year.

Top seed Jelena Ostapenko secured her second title of 2024 following a 6-2 6-3 win over Ekaterina Alexandrova at Linz.

The Latvian also claimed victory at the Adelaide International in January, while she also reached the women’s doubles final at the Australian Open. She now has her sights set on returning into the WTA top 10 after making a fine start to the year.

In a clash between two former Linz runners-up, 2019 finalist Ostapenko needed just 70 minutes to subdue 2018 finalist Alexandrova and collect her eighth career WTA singles title.

“It was a really good week and I felt like every match I was playing better and I’m really happy to get such a beautiful trophy,” Ostapenko said after her victory.

The first European ATP Tour event of the season was held at the Open Sud de France – Montpellier, where Alexander Bublik lifted the trophy in France.

Alexander Bublik again lost the first set before rallying to beat Borna Coric 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 and win the Open Sud de France on Sunday for his fourth career title.

“It’s a pleasure. What can I say? Being here again with a trophy, in Montpellier, where I won my very first title, being with my coach and my wife here,” said Bublik, turning the tables against Denis Shapovalov, Alexander Shevchenko and Felix Auger-Aliassime en route to the final.

“I was on the verge of losing in my opening round, now here I am standing with the title.

The second-seeded Kazakh dropped the first set in every match he played at the indoor tournament in Montpellier. The ATP website said he is the first player to win an ATP Tour event having lost the first set in each of his matches.

Bublik will jump four places to reach a career high of 23rd.

After gathering in Melbourne for a Grand Slam, and teaming up for their respective nations for Davis Cup, the pros retreat to their respective corners of the world again this week.But the big Middle Eastern events are on the horizon. The women start getting warmed up there at the WTA 500 in Abu Dhabi while the men are headed to events in Cordoba, Dallas and Marseille.