'So much nicer!' Jelena Ostapenko revels in shiny, new Swarovski trophy after Linz triumph

We learned early in 2024 that when it comes to the Upper Austria Ladies Linz, Jelena Ostapenko never forgets. But four weeks after invoking her 2019 final loss to Coco Gauff during a rant to umpire Julie Kjendlie in Brisbane, Ostapenko went full-circle, returned to Linz and claimed the crown she's long thought was rightfully hers.

Top-seeded Ostapenko saved three match points to beat Denmark's Clara Tauson in her first match in Austria, and then ran the table with the loss of just 13 games in six sets against Jodie Burrage, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Ekaterina Alexandrova to win her second singles title in the season's first five weeks. For her efforts, the Latvian took home a newly-created custom Swarovski trophy designed for this year's event, topped with a golden tennis ball adorned with more than 8,000 hand-set Swarovski crystals.

As far as the 2017 Roland Garros winner was concerned, this year's prize was worth the wait.

"A few years ago, I was in the final and I didn't get the trophy, but I think the trophy this year is so much nicer, and I'm so happy to have it," Ostapenko quipped in her winner's speech.

Ostapenko's maiden victory in Linz also came 14 years after another former Roland Garros winner, Ana Ivanovic, triumphed for the second and last time at the tournament, and the Serb was on hand for championship weekend to celebrate.

As the guest of honor, Ivanovic participated in the ceremonial coin toss ahead of the final, had a photo shoot at the Schlossmuseum, was honored on-court and interviewed by tournament ambassador Barbara Schett, and even reunited with Donna Vekic nearly 10 years after they last played on tour.