LOULE/STARNBERG, November 2, 2025
Yeonwoo Ku continued her remarkable run on Portuguese soil, celebrating her 10th consecutive victory in the Algarve to capture the title at the fifth edition of the Loulé Ladies Open, an ITF World Tennis Tour W35 event held at the Clube de Ténis de Loulé from October 27 to November 2.
Just one week after lifting the trophy in Lagos, the 22-year-old South Korean, who is currently ranked World No. 302, once again emerged victorious in the region, defeating Hibah Shaikh of the United States 7-6(6), 6-3 in Sunday’s final, which lasted 85 minutes.
Yeonwoo Ku defeats Hibah Shaikh 7-6(6), 6-3 from a double break down in the 1st set and a break down in the 2nd to claim her 10th straight win in Portugal and lift back to back ITF W35 titles in Lagos and Loulé. pic.twitter.com/dpRrUpJHsa
— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) November 2, 2025
Although not as dramatic as her comeback triumph in Lagos — where she rallied from 5-1 down in the deciding set and saved multiple match points against US-American Carolyn Ansari — Ku’s Loulé victory still required plenty of resilience. Facing early deficits in both sets, she trailed 0-4 in the opener before saving three consecutive set points at 3-6 in the tiebreak, and she was also down 3-1 in the second set before winning five games in a row to seal the title — just as she had done in the semifinals.
“I stayed strong mentally. I always trust myself, and I’m really proud that I managed to win this title,” said Ku after securing her second trophy in as many weeks. “It was the same last week, and it happened again today — I never give up. Staying solid is my biggest weapon. Even if I’m behind, I know I’ll get my chances again.”
Currently based in Spain, Ku developed a fondness for Portugal early in her career. “When I lived in Spain, I started coming to Portugal a lot for tournaments, and everyone has always been so kind to me. Plus, the weather here is amazing, so I’ll definitely keep coming back,” she said with a smile.
Before her double triumph in Lagos and Loulé, Ku had already claimed a W15 title in Lousada at the end of 2021. This latest success marks her fourth title of the season in as many finals and will significantly boost her WTA ranking. With the addition of her recent points, she is set to reach a career-high ranking inside the world’s Top 280, and once the Loulé points are counted, she will move close to the Top 260.
With just over a month left before the cut for the Australian Open qualifiers, Ku’s dream of competing in her first Grand Slam event is becoming an increasingly realistic goal.
The fifth edition of the Loulé Ladies Open once again confirmed the Algarve as a key destination on the ITF circuit, continuing a long tradition of international tennis events hosted at the Clube de Ténis de Loulé, which has also organized men’s tournaments since 2011.
