Dodin: I feel great – I’m very happy with my results this year

Oceane Dodin’s 14-match winning streak at W60 tournaments on the ITF World Tennis Tour may have ended at the hands of Jaqueline Adina Cristian on Sunday, but the 26-year-old remains in upbeat form ahead of another title tilt in Slovakia this week.

The 26-year-old Frenchwoman is the standout player on the ITF Tour this season, having won 22 matches, acquired three titles and reached a further final at W60 Trnava on Sunday, albeit one that ended in defeat.

“She’s a great fighter so it’s always difficult to play against her,” said Dodin of Cristian, against whom she had won her three previous encounters. “She managed to play very well, to have a very big serve, it was very difficult for me, so congrats to her.”

Dodin’s fine form has taken in titles at W25 Monastir, W60 Andreziuex-Boutheon and W60 Grenoble this year – putting her on the brink of a return to the WTA top 100 for the first time since October.

“I feel great,” said Dodin. “It’s always good to be in the final. I’m very happy with my results for the moment. Now I’m going to play the next one [W60 Trnava this week], and we will see, and after just play some more ITFs to take some points, to be in the Grand Slams, top 100… that’s the plan.”

Given her excellent Tour form this year - which puts her five match-wins clear of closest rivals Greet Minnen and Hanyu Guo, who each have 17 ITF wins in 2023 - Dodin would have reason to be hopeful that this may be the season she betters the career-high ranking of No. 46 she managed in 2017.

“I’m not focussing on the ranking,” insisted Dodin. “I’m just trying to give my best in every match, to take some points. Obviously we will see, but this is the goal.”