Article by Roxana Fleşeru – Published Thursday, April 16, 2026 10:18 p.m. / Updated Thursday, April 16, 2026 10:25 p.m.
Elena Rybakina (26, WTA 2) qualified for the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 Stuttgart, which offers the winner a Porsche car, after defeating Diana Shnaider (22, WTA 19) 6-2, 6-4. The player from Kazakhstan won in 2024 on the German clay, while she still did not have a driver's license.
Elena Rybakina, winner of the 2026 Australian Open, chose to start her clay season in Stuttgart after doing so in Madrid last year. She returned to the WTA 500 category tournament after winning in 2024, and in addition to the prize money, she also received a Porsche Taycan. The German tour is sponsored by this car brand.
It is unusual that, at that time, the second player in the world did not have a driver's license. “Winning the tournament gave me a good boost to finally pass my exams and get my driving licence, so now I have it and enjoy the car when I'm in pre-season, because otherwise I'm always away.” said Rybakina in the on-court interview following her second-round victory at this edition of the tournament in Stuttgart.
She beat Diana Shnaider in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. For a place in the semifinals, she will meet the winner of the match Leylah Fernandez (Canada) – Zeynep Sonmez (Turkey) on Friday.
In the last 20 years since the tournament has been held in Stuttgart, Maria Sharapova is the player who has won the most times, winning in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Justine Henin, Angelique Kerber and Iga Swiatek have won twice each.
Elena Rybakina: “If it happens, it will be great”
The main favorite from Stuttgart took a break after Indian Wells and Miami, where she contested the final and semi-finals, respectively. “I had a few days off, but the time difference was too much after Miami, so I spent most of my time sleeping. After I started the preparation I needed to do some physical training because Indian Wells and Miami were very long tournaments and in the last match I felt my physical level dropped a bit, I felt I needed to work on that. A few days of rest… and from there, full preparation.” Rybakina said before the tournament.
Elena Rybakina in action at Stuttgart in 2026 PHOTO Imago Images
Aryna Sabalenka chose to skip the Stuttgart tournament, and this allows Elena Rybakina to regain some points in the fight for the top spot, one of her goals this season. “I don't think about it too much because it's not a reality yet, but I have to give my best every tournament anyway. I'm working towards it and I hope it happens … but I don't focus on the points in every tournament. If it happens, it will be great,” Rybakina said.
Before the tournament in Stuttgart, the difference between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina is 2,917 points.
