Elena Rybakina secured her second consecutive title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, defeating Karolina Muchova 7-5, 6-1 in the final. This victory marked her 13th overall title and came in just 78 minutes. Rybakina had previously won the tournament in 2024 and has continued her impressive start to the year, having also won the Australian Open in January.
Notably, the winner of the tournament in Stuttgart is traditionally awarded a Porsche, which they drive onto the court. However, after her win in 2024, Rybakina had not yet obtained her driver's license, so she used her prize to take and pass the test the following year.
Rybakina expressed her delight, stating, "It's an incredible tournament, and we love returning here. It truly feels like home, and you just want to come back every year." She added, "I'm super happy for my second win here in Stuttgart and this beautiful car." Rybakina's path to the final included saving two match points in a three-hour quarter-final against Leylah Fernandez.
Her victory has elevated her into an exclusive group of players, making her the fourth active player to win at least five WTA-level titles on multiple surfaces, alongside Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina, and Iga Swiatek. In other news, Marta Kostyuk emerged victorious in an all-Ukrainian final against Veronika Podrez at the WTA Open de Rouen, winning 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 21 minutes to claim her second WTA singles title and first in over three years. Kostyuk described the match as a "historical moment for Ukrainian tennis," being the first time two Ukrainians had played in a final.
She expressed her pride in Ukrainian tennis, hoping to inspire more kids to take up the sport.