World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka entered the Stuttgart Open final as the favorite, but the tennis world witnessed a major upset as Jelena Ostapenko delivered a commanding performance to claim her ninth career title. Ostapenko, ranked 24th, defeated Sabalenka in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, ending her three-match losing streak against the Belarusian and capturing her first career win over the top seed.
Ostapenko set the tone early, breaking Sabalenka’s serve in the opening game and maintaining relentless pressure throughout the match. The Latvian’s aggressive play and confidence were evident, especially as she surged through the second set, winning five consecutive games to close out the match. This victory capped a remarkable week for Ostapenko, who also knocked out world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals.
Sabalenka, who reached her fourth Stuttgart final after defeating Jasmine Paolini in the semifinals, struggled with uncharacteristic errors and was unable to counter Ostapenko’s momentum. Despite her previous dominance in their head-to-head encounters, Sabalenka was outplayed from start to finish.
At, Ostapenko’s Stuttgart triumph marks her first title on clay since winning the French Open in 2017—a reminder of her prowess on the surface and a warning to the rest of the WTA Tour as the clay season heats up.
