

Jelena Ostapenko versus Iga Swiatek is no ordinary rivalry. It’s an upside-down conflict where a lower ranked player has dominated all the matchups. When the two met for the sixth time on Saturday at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, the stakes were high and the storylines were wild. Coming into the match, Ostapenko had won all five of their previous meetings. That’s right—five wins, zero losses. But this was clay. And not just any clay—this was Stuttgart clay, Swiatek’s kingdom. And the Latvian owned her here too. She is now heading to the finals with unabashed confidence!
The 27-year-old won the Roland Garros back in 2017 and was ready to remind everyone of that.“She’s a great clay-court player, but I won [Roland Garros], so I can say the same thing for myself,” Ostapenko said. This wasn’t just about breaking a losing streak. This was about putting herself back in the clay conversation. And she did just that.
After taking down the World No. 2, Ostapenko didn’t slow down. She went on to beat another familiar foe, Ekaterina Alexandrova, in just 1 hour and 29 minutes. The Russian is a player Ostapenko has faced ten times before. Their head-to-head was tied at 5-5 before Sunday’s semifinal. Clay had favored Alexandrova in the past—she’d won both of their previous clay meetings. But not this time. The final score? 6-4, 6-4. The Latvian dropped serve just once the whole match.
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The Latvian tennis star marched into her first clay-court WTA singles final in nearly eight years. That’s a long wait, but her Stuttgart run has also pushed her back into the WTA top 20. She’s officially back.
From Qatar to Germany, it’s been a rocky ride. After reaching the final in Doha, Jelena Ostapenko had trouble stringing together wins. But something clicked in Stuttgart. She beat Swiatek, the second seed and world No. 2. She took down Emma Navarro, the seventh seed. Confidence is back in her corner. “I always knew my game was there. I always believed in myself and that’s the most important thing. I believe I can beat everyone,” Ostapenko said in her post-match interview. That belief is what’s driving her now—and maybe straight to the Porsche in the background.
Jelena Ostapenko is back on the WTA top 20 next week.
“I always knew my game was there. I always believed in myself and that’s the most important thing. I believe I can beat everyone”.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) April 20, 2025
But here comes the biggest test yet. Waiting for her in the final is none other than World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
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Jelena Ostapenko sets up a final showdown with top seed Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka has been the Stuttgart runner-up three times in the last four years. And she’s still chasing that champion’s car. The Belarusian got past Jasmine Paolini in the quarters, grinding out a 7-5, 6-4 win. Of all the top four seeds in Stuttgart, only she made it through Saturday. The others—Swiatek, Gauff, and Pegula—all went out.
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Can Ostapenko's clay-court magic topple Sabalenka's quest for the Stuttgart crown and that coveted car?
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Now it’s a final showdown between two powerful players. Sabalenka leads their head-to-head 3-0. Their last meeting? A straight-sets win for the Belarusian in the Rome quarterfinals last year. She’s won five of the six sets they’ve played. “She’s playing great tennis. Doesn’t matter what happened in the past,” Sabalenka said after her semifinal win. “I’m gonna go out there and fight like it’s the first match. I’m gonna fight for this beautiful car behind me. Please, I beg you, please. Please, I need this car!”
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No matter who wins, history will be made. Ostapenko is aiming to become just the third player this season to beat both the World No. 1 and No. 2 at the same event. Madison Keys did it at the Australian Open. Mirra Andreeva followed up at Indian Wells.
Can Jelena Ostapenko add her list to that name? What do you think?
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Can Ostapenko's clay-court magic topple Sabalenka's quest for the Stuttgart crown and that coveted car?