Rybakina drives away in style in Stuttgart, beats Kostyuk for title

Elena Rybakina’s exceptional 2024 continued in Germany as she won her third title of the year thus far in a dominant display against Marta Kostyuk at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, 6-2, 6-2.

It is her eighth career title and third on clay, following Bucharest 2019 and Rome 2023. Rybakina also adds the Stuttgart title to her wins in the Brisbane International and the Abu Dhabi Open earlier this year.

She is the first woman to reach five finals in the first four months of the season since Victoria Azarenka did it in 2012.

“I always believe in myself, of course, but it’s not only depends on me,” Rybakina said. “There is a lot of great players, tough opponents. But I know if I feel fresh, if I’m physically ready, healthy, I’m playing my game, of course I have all the chances to win a Grand Slam on any surface.”

Rybakina can’t drive the Porsche

Entertainingly, she claimed her new Porsche – part of the tournament prize – but was unable to drive it away as she does not have a driving licence. Instead she sat in the passenger seat and was driven into the arena for her lap of honour.

Kostyuk saved three championship points, and must have taken some confidence from knowing that she had won seven of her previous ten matches against players ranked in the Top 10 – including Marketa Vondrousova, Coco Gauff and Qinwen Zheng, all this week.

For Kostyuk, this was her second final defeat of 2024 after she lost the decider of the San Diego Open in March.

You might also like this

6-2, 6-2: Facts and stats as Elena Rybakina beats Marta Kostyuk to win Stuttgart title

tennis majors

“A Swiatek and Sabalenka or Rybakina does not want to play against somebody like Osaka” – Schett

tennis majors

“If Rybakina is going to continue like this, maybe new world No 1 for sure” – Kalinina

tennis majors