Elena Rybakina Defeats World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in Stuttgart Open Semifinal

In a thrilling semifinal match at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, world No. 4 Elena Rybakina defeated top-ranked Iga Swiatek 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. The victory ended Swiatek's bid for a third consecutive title at the clay-court tournament.

Rybakina, the 23-year-old Kazakh player, hit 10 aces and saved 11 of the 13 break points she faced to win the match in 2 hours and 49 minutes. This was Rybakina's fourth win in six meetings with Swiatek, who was aiming to become the first three-time champion in Stuttgart since Maria Sharapova from 2012-14.

Swiatek faced constant pressure on her serve throughout the match, facing 20 break points and losing four of them, along with seven double faults and 42 unforced errors. "It was a very tough match," Rybakina said after the win. "I'm really happy to win on clay, which gives confidence."

Why this matters: The victory marks a significant achievement for Rybakina, who continues to establish herself as a formidable rival to the world No. 1 Swiatek. It also sets up an intriguing final against unseeded Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who defeated sixth seed Marketa Vondrousova in the other semifinal.

In the final on Sunday, Rybakina will face Marta Kostyuk, the 27th-ranked Ukrainian who overcame Czech sixth seed Marketa Vondrousova 7-6(2), 6-2 in the other semifinal. This will be Rybakina's fifth final of the season, having won titles in Adelaide and Abu Dhabi earlier this year. The winner of the final will receive a Porsche car along with the prize money, prompting Rybakina to joke, "I don't have a driver's license yet, so that will be my next goal."

Key Takeaways

• Rybakina defeated world No. 1 Swiatek 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in Stuttgart semifinal.
• Rybakina hit 10 aces and saved 11 of 13 break points to win in 2h49m.
• Rybakina's 4th win in 6 meetings with Swiatek, who was aiming for 3rd title.
• Rybakina to face unseeded Ukrainian Kostyuk in the final, who defeated Vondrousova.
• Winner of the final will receive a Porsche car along with prize money.