- STUTTGART — Jelena
Ostapenko completed a dream week at the Stuttgart Open by taking down No. 1
seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-1 in the final to claim her ninth career Hologic
WTA Tour title -- and first on clay since winning Roland Garros in 2017.
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- The fourth time would be the charm either way in the
Stuttgart final: either Sabalenka would drive off with her much-coveted first
win after three previous losses in the title match, or Ostapenko would post her
first win over Sabalenka at the fourth attempt. In the event, it was the
Latvian who came out on top of a pulsating, hard-hitting battle as per WTA.
Also read: India continue winning streak at Asian U-15 & U-17 Boxing Championships
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- No. 24-ranked Ostapenko, who ended Miami champion
Sabalenka's eight-match losing streak, improved to 3-1 overall against reigning
World No. 1s. She previously defeated Garbine Muguruza at Wuhan 2017 and Iga
Swiatek at the 2023 US Open. Having also ousted Swiatek in the quarterfinals
this week, Ostapenko became the ninth player to defeat both Sabalenka and
Swiatek in the same tournament, sixth since Swiatek first rose to No. 1 and
first to do so on clay.
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- On the other hand Sabalenka, who has mastered the hard
courts on tour, has won only two clay-court titles thus far. The good news for
Sabalenka is that they have both come in Madrid, her next stop on tour. She
defeated the World No. 1 for both of those titles as well: Ashleigh Barty in
2021 and Iga Swiatek in 2023. Her record in Madrid is 17-4.
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- If Sabalenka hoists the trophy again, she will tie the
record for the most Madrid titles. Petra Kvitova has won this title three
times, in 2011, 2015 and 2018.
