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"Please, please, I beg you -- I need this car": Sabalenka Eyes First Stuttgart Title
Aryna Sabalenka is on the verge of rewriting her Stuttgart story.
After falling short in the finals for three straight years between 2021 and 2023, the Belarusian tennis star is once again within touching distance of the Porsche Grand Prix title. This time, she’ll be hoping it finally goes her way.
And there’s a silver lining already — her nemesis in the past two Stuttgart finals, Iga Swiatek, has been eliminated.
Speaking confidently ahead of her upcoming match, Sabalenka said:
"In my previous finals here, I played against the world number one. Now I’ve become world number one. Hopefully, that works in my favor."
The 26-year-old, who has won three Grand Slam titles, will face Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in the final. Ostapenko stormed into the final earlier on Sunday, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets (6-4, 6-4).
Ostapenko’s Resurgence: First Final Since 2017 Roland Garros Win
For Jelena Ostapenko, this Stuttgart final marks a major moment in her singles comeback.
Now ranked 24th in the world, Ostapenko has often been more active in doubles in recent years. But her performance this week proves she’s still a serious singles contender. Her win over Alexandrova sends her to her first final on clay since winning the French Open in 2017.
"I always knew I had the game," Ostapenko said after reaching the 24th final of her career.
"I believe in myself. That’s the most important thing — I know I can beat anyone on my day."
Her path to the final included a huge upset over world number two Iga Swiatek, who had a dominant 11-1 record on Stuttgart clay before Saturday’s match.
Alexandrova’s Run Ends After Strong Week
Despite the loss, it was a memorable week for Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova. Ranked 22nd in the world, she made it to the semis after knocking out top-seeded Americans Jessica Pegula and rising teenage star Mirra Andreeva — both in straight sets.
With this win, Ostapenko now leads Alexandrova 6-5 in their career head-to-head.
Now all eyes are on the Stuttgart final — a chance for Sabalenka to end her heartbreak, and for Ostapenko to remind the tennis world that she’s still a force to be reckoned with.
