STUTTGART/WASHINGTON, April 22, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)
Looking back on winning her first Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title in her seventh appearance in Stuttgart – but first time in the final – Jelena Ostapenko felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Not only had the 24th-ranked Latvian beaten World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to garner the WTA 500-series title on indoor clay, she also won the coveted grand prize of a brand-new Porsche Macan Turbo sports car.
Bright orange and sleek in its appearance, the Porsche had been sitting on a raised platform above and beyond one of the Centre Court baselines inside Porsche Arena all week long for fans to admire and players to keep their eye on the prize. While winning a Porsche has now eluded Sabalenka four times in the past five years, Ostapenko won hers on her first try after never getting past the quarterfinal round in her previous efforts.
“I think I played really well today, I was into the match,” Ostapenko said during her champion’s new conference, soon after defeating Sabalenka 6-4, 6-1 in an hour and 25 minutes.
Eyes on the prize, and now it’s hers @JelenaOstapenk8 defeats the World No.1 to win her first Stuttgart singles title, 6-4, 6-1!#PorscheTennis pic.twitter.com/9FeBYIvbuE
— wta (@WTA) April 21, 2025
During the trophy ceremony, Ostapenko earned the honor of taking her new Porsche for a quick spin on the clay court. “Yeah, this car is amazing. Really nice.”
Ostapenko admitted she had a good feeling – a feeling of self-confidence – about beating Sabalenka for the first time after losing to her each time in their three previous matches.
“Honestly, I didn’t tell to anyone, I was keeping it to myself,” Ostapenko said. “but I felt very confident since the first day [of the tournament]. I had, like, [a] strange – not strange but in a good way strange – feeling.
“When I came here, I felt like something is going to happen this week. I pretty much felt that I can win this tournament.”
#PTGP25 pic.twitter.com/tkA3fTsLbf
— Porsche Tennis (@PorscheTennis) April 21, 2025
En route, the 27-year-old Ostapenko eliminated Dayana Yastremska, No. 7 seed Emma Navarro, No. 2 seed and two-time Stuttgart champion Iga Swiatek, and Ekaterina Alexandrova to reach the final. Then, she mastered Sabalenka with superb tennis – playing smart and confidently – to win. While she dropped an each set to Navarro and Swiatek, Ostapenko finished the tournament strong by her last five straight sets. She hit 21 winners against Sabalenka, converted six of 11 break-point opportunities and outpointed her opponent 67-50.
“I think I’m improving day by day and I’m playing better and better,” said Ostapenko, who afterwards moved up six spots in the new PIF WTA Rankings to World No. 18. When she was asked about winning her second career clay-court title after triumphing at the French Open in 2019 as a 20-year-old, she unabashedly replied: “Yeah, I think I deserve it.”
Ostapenko said she analyzed her earlier losses to Sabalenka, including last year in the quarterfinals at Rome on red clay, and knew what she had to do to improve – and, ultimately, to win.
Power by @JelenaOstapenk8!#PTGP25 pic.twitter.com/uicbvAigiJ
— Porsche Tennis (@PorscheTennis) April 21, 2025
“I think I was more confident and my true player today than before,” Ostapenko admitted before getting ready to fly to Madrid, where she’s entered in the WTA 1000 event that begins Tuesday and is seeded No. 23 with a first-round bye.
By the end of Ostapenko’s champion’s news conference, the subject of her grand prize – the brand-new Porsche – finally came up. How could it not, right?
Will she give it a nickname? “I actually never did that, so I’m not sure,” Ostapenko said.
Does she like to drive fast? “Almost. I mean, of course when I’m driving, you know, on the roads, I try to be by the rules,” Ostapenko explained. “But sometimes I go to these extreme driving lessons, and there I have some freedom.”
How was the first drive in your new car, @JelenaOstapenk8? ️#PTGP25 pic.twitter.com/aBIJs1ReeW
— Porsche Tennis (@PorscheTennis) April 21, 2025
Around the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
• Tournament Director Markus Günthardt said he was highly positive about the just-completed 48th edition of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
“[There were] 33,000 spectators and tennis of the highest class,” he said, spotlighting the excellent attendance as well as the interest in the tournament’s overall sporting and emotional experience. “We are very satisfied.”
Gunthardt pointed to the outstanding attendance, which filled the 4,200 seat throughout the duration of this year’s WTA 500-series event on indoor red clay inside Porsche Arena. He said he was also pleased by the positive feedback received from fans and players alike.
“It was a fantastic tournament week, and we have the feeling that we were able to provide added value, both tennis-wise and atmosphere-wise,” Gunthardt said.
Operating Tournament Director Anke Huber added she was pleased with the standard of play throughout the tournament. “Perhaps, it was even the best tennis we’ve ever seen here,” she said.
Trophy in one hand, keys in the other @JelenaOstapenk8 | #PorscheTennis pic.twitter.com/PyJ05HjTEm
— wta (@WTA) April 21, 2025
• Prior to the start of Monday afternoon’s title match between Jelena Ostapenko and Aryna Sabalenka, there was a special cultural highlight featuring the Stuttgart Ballet, which is supported by Porsche. The Stuttgart Ballet presented an excerpt from “Lost Room,” choreographed by Fabio Adorisio, which focused on memories, imagination and transience on Centre Court.
The last edition of the Moments of the Day presented by @layenberger is here – and we’re not ready to let go. #PTGP25 pic.twitter.com/HTCkEVM6hZ
— Porsche Tennis (@PorscheTennis) April 21, 2025
By the numbers
The Aces for Charity fundraiser, which has been a fixture for many years at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix – and donates 100 euro to charitable organizations for every ace struck during the tournament – this year divided up equally. Between the “Stiftung Agapedia” and the “Stuttgarter Kinderstiftung” foundations. Cheques were presented on Centre Court before Monday’s final by Porsche Executive Board member Albrecht Reimold.
The money will go towards funding projects and facilities for children in the Stuttgart region of Germany. Among the final total of 209 aces, Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia contributed a total of 36 aces.
“Quotable …”
“I lost in several tough finals, and the only way is to have, like, a short memory, completely forget what happened. I mean, of course learn the lesson and then move on.
“That’s my plan, and I’ll try my best to, first of all, perform much better in Madrid, and secondly, to come back here next year and do a better job.”
– World No. 1 and tournament finalist Aryna Sabalenka, during her post-match news conference Monday afternoon, after losing the final 6-4, 6-1 to Jelena Ostapenko. It was Sabalenka’s fourth title match loss in the last five years at Stuttgart.
