Elena Rybakina has achieved her first repeat title, defeating Karolina Muchova 7-5, 6-1 in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, a tournament she first won in 2024. This victory marks her 13th overall title, attained in just 78 minutes, and continues her impressive start to the year following her Australian Open win in January.
Notably, the winner of the Stuttgart tournament is traditionally awarded a Porsche, which they drive onto the court. After her 2024 win, Rybakina used her prize to take and pass her driver's test the following year.
Rybakina expressed her affection for the tournament, stating, "It's an amazing tournament, we love coming back here... It really feels like home and you just want to come back every year." She also expressed her happiness about the second win and the beautiful car. Although Rybakina exuded confidence in the final, having reached the end of the week with three straight-set victories, she also had to save two match points in a three-hour quarter-final against Leylah Fernandez. This win has elevated Rybakina into an exclusive group, 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 clinch 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 played in a final. She hopes that this match will inspire more kids to try the sport and pick up a racket for the first time, enjoying the emotion, passion, and everything that tennis brings.