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All eyes of the tennis world are drawn upon the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix starting in Stuttgart. All of the top WTA stars are set to be in action in one of the most anticipated tournaments of the year. The World No.1 Iga Swiatek will be keen to defend her title and follow in the steps of Tracy Austin, Martina Navratilova and Maria Sharapova as the players to win the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix three years in a row.
Swiatek has enjoyed her outings in Stuttgart so far. The Polish star has won the title twice in a row beating Aryna Sabalenka in the final on both occasions. The World No. 1 will start the tournament as the favorite again in 2024 and is the top seed in Stuttgart.
Swiatek and Sabalenka have developed an intriguing rivalry in recent times. Iga Swiatek has held her position as the World No.1 in rankings but is closely followed by Aryan Sabalenka, who is the World No.2. This Iga Swiatek-Aryna Sabalenka rivalry has taken centre stage at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in the last two years.
During the last two editions of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Swiatek defeated Sabalenka in the final to win the titles. In 2022, the Polish star defeated the Belarussian in straight sets to win the title in front of a packed crowd in Stuttgart. Later, the duo clashed again in the final in 2023 and Swiatek again defeated Sabalenka in straight sets to win consecutive titles.
Before losing twice in the final to Iga Swiatek, Sabalenka made the final in 2021 as well. The Belarusian star faced an in-form Ashleigh Barty in the final of the tournament and ended up on a losing note. Despite winning the first set, Sabalenka lost the next two to lose in the 2021 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final.
Aryna Sabalenka has lost three consecutive finals in Stuttgart in the last three years. The World No. 2 will be keen to change her fortune in 2024 as she aims to take the next step and win the Porsche Grand Prix final for the first time in her career. However, with the recent history against her and a potential final against Iga Swiatek again, things could unravel rather quickly if the Belarussian star loses a third consecutive final against her rival in Stuttgart.
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka's season so far
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka have both enjoyed positive starts to the season. Aryna Sabalenka started off the season well with a run till the final at the Brisbane WTA 500. This was the perfect warm-up for the Belarussian before her title defence in Melbourne.
At the Australian Open, Sabalenka looked at her fierce best as she romped her way to the title. The Belarussian did not drop a single set on her way to the championship while completely dominating her opponents. The Australian Open triumph was followed by a lackluster performance at the Indian Wells and Miami Open, however, Sabalenka will be keen to make a mark in Stuttgart, a place where she has been a runner-up for the past three years.
On the other hand, the defending champion, Iga Swiatek is in fine form coming into the tournament. The Polish star had a slow start to the season and was knocked out in the third round of the Australian Open. However, the World No.1 has since recovered from her loss in form and found her best form just before the clay season.
Iga Swiatek won the Qatar Open 2024 and followed it up with the Indian Wells title. The Polish star won both tournaments without dropping a set and looked back to her best. The four-time Grand Slam champion will now be keen to add a third consecutive Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title and continue her good form.
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix promises to be an exciting prospect. Despite losing the final on three consecutive occasions, Aryna Sabalenka will fancy her chances at redemption this time around. The Belarussian has the know-how to make the final but it will be interesting to see if she takes the next step to win the title.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Iga Swiatek will be the player to beat again in Stuttgart. The Polish star will enter the tournament full of confidence and look to win a record-equalling third consecutive Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title. However, along with Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, there will be other WTA stars who will fancy their chances at silverware. American Coco Gauff and Kazakh star, Elena Rybakina will be among the outside favourites for the title, in what promises to be one of the most thrilling WTA tournaments in recent history.
