Muchova Finally Solves How To Beat Gauff In Stuttgart

Karolina Muchova
Karolina Muchova (photo: Porsche AG)

STUTTGART/WASHINGTON, April 18, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)

It took Karolina Muchova seven tries stretched across four years – and on two different surfaces – to finally solve how to beat Coco Gauff.

On Friday afternoon at the WTA 500 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, the World No. 12 and seventh seed Muchova from Czechia advanced to her fourth semifinal of this season, following her 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 victory over World No. 3 and second seed Gauff of the United States in two hours and 23 minutes. It was her 21st victory of the season and it meant Gauff has bowed out of Stuttgart without having ever advanced beyond the quarterfinal round in three tries at Porsche Arena.

After Gauff defeated Muchova six-straight times on hard court surfaces, Friday was the first time they had met on clay. The Czech star gained an early break of Gauff thanks to a double fault to take a 2-1 lead. The American No. 1 committed 13 unforced errors in the opening set – many of them on her forehand – and, soon, Muchova broke again the final game to garner to set 6-3. Although Muchova surrendered the second set to Gauff, she charged ahead in the third set, breaking to go ahead 4-2 and coasted. 

“I think she’s unbelievable player on clay,” Muchova said during her news conference afterward. “I feel her last-year clay season, Roland Garros champion, just incredible mover. So, I just knew that I have to play really well to get a chance to win.

“I just tried to play my game, as well. I tried to slice it up, break her rhythm, and it was working today.”

The victory improved Muchova’s win-loss record this season to 21-4, while Gauff dropped to 17-7. She won 66 percent (41 of 62) of her first-serve points, hit 33 winners to 34 unforced errors, saved 12 of 15 break points and converted five of seven tries. Muchova outpointed Gauff 97-87. The reigning French Open champion hit 29 winners – including four aces – but also committed 42 unforced errors, including four double faults.

“Yeah, it was a tough battle today. It’s always very tough against her,” Muchova said. “She’s a tough player, so I expected a very tough match.

“I tried to, you know, get some advantages on clay that I can use, change of rhythm, slice a lot, and keep pressuring her, and I think I did that well.

“Yeah, I think the third set was a battle. It was very physical, as well, and I’m glad I managed the first break and then I was able to keep it going.”

Svitolina through to second Stuttgart semifinal

On Saturday, Muchova will face World No. 7 and fourth seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, who emerged with a 7-7-6 (2), 7-5 victory over World No. 14 Linda Noskova of Czechia in an hour and 40 minutes. In making her third appearance at Stuttgart – but first since 2021 – Svitolina is through to the semifinals for the second time.

Svitolina finished with a solid quarterfinal performance that included 11 aces and 23 winners overall to 28 unforced errors, converted two of eight break-points chances and outpointed Noskova 81-77. The Czech star countered with 26 winners of her own but also made 37 unforced errors.

“Very happy today [I] could stay strong and find ways to win those two tight sets,” said Svitolina after earning her 23rd victory of the season in her 28th match. “Very happy the way I have been serving, the way I was just fighting and finding, you know, the small opportunities to win both sets.”

Svitolina will head into her semifinal against Muchova with a 3-0 head-to-head series lead. 

“Now we are playing every day, which is good, I think,” Svitolina added. “Another semifinal for me, so I try to really draw positives from today, and yeah, just generally really happy with the way I could adjust to this surface.

“Yeah, trying to recover quickly and be ready for tomorrow’s big match.”

During her on-court interview Friday, Svitolina said that for her, it’s important to just bring her very best each time she steps on the court.

“As soon as I step on court, this is the spirit I try to have. I had a really difficult end of last year struggling a bit mentally,” she said. “I took some time off and was trying to enjoy my time with the family. It’s not an easy task to balance motherhood, family, and tennis. But so far [I’m] enjoying it a lot. I think my fighting spirit is back this year. I’m very pleased with that.”

Andreeva winning streak now seven

A week after winning the Upper Austria Ladies Linz on indoor clay, World No. 9 Mirra Andreeva of Russia through to her second-straight clay-court semifinal after upsetting two-time Stuttgart champion and current World No. 4 Iga Swiatek of Poland, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in two hours and 36 minutes – the second-longest quarterfinal match of the day.

Andreeva rallied from a set down and came back from down 0-2 in the decisive set to gain her first Top-10 win of the season and 11th of her career.

The 18-year-old sixth seed produced 28 winners to 26 unforced errors and converted six of 11 break-points opportunities. Although she was outpointed 100-99 by Swiatek, it didn’t matter. Neither did the fact that Swiatek finished with 26 winners to 20 unforced errors and broke Andreeva’s serve five times in 14 tries.

During her on-court interview, Andreeva was asked what she felt the biggest challenge was in playing Swiatek. “Of course, when you play someone that’ so experienced – she’s won so many tournaments I can’t event count how many Slams she’s won, how many Masters [1000] she’s won – she’s a past winner of this tournament. 

“I was coming into this match knowing I’m somewhat confident in my game. I’ve won a couple matches in Linz. Also, I’ve been on a good run here as well. I was telling myself, ‘No matter what’s happening, I have to keep fighting and keep believing I can win from any score.’ That’s what I kept telling myself in the second and third sets.”

In her news conference, Andreeva added: “I think it was a really good match since the beginning. Yeah, I’m very happy with the win today. Obviously, again, I can say so many things on what I think should have been better, but, you know, I’m just going to take the win. I think the match was great, and yeah, it was important for me to win today.”

Not the result Swiatek hoped for

Two-time Stuttgart champion Iga Swiatek suffered her seventh loss in 20 outings this season when she fell to World No. 9 Mirra Andreeva. The World No. 4 and third seed from Poland addressed reporters following her latest setback – the first loss since she switched coaches, dropping Wim Fissette for Francisco Roig.

“Yeah, I mean, not the result I wanted, for sure,” she said during her post-match news conference. “I think my baseline game was fine, and I see a progress there comparing to the last tournaments. But for sure, overall, it wasn’t enough.”

Swiatek was asked if it was possible to evaluate Roig after just two matches this week in Stuttgart. 

“I think for now, you know, we’re getting to know each other,” she said. “He’s giving me space to kind of figure it out on matches. You know, I have a clear vision of what to do. It’s just sometimes hard to do that. That wasn’t like a main thing today, I would say.”

Rybakina has all the right shots to beat Fernandez

With her back against the wall, World No. 2 Elena Rybakina found the shots that mattered most. In the longest match of the day, the top seed and 2024 Stuttgart champion pulled through a tough, three-set quarterfinal against No. 25 Leylah Fernandez of Canada and won, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (6), in three hours to advance to play World No. 9 Mirra Andreeva in the semifinal round on Saturday.

With the last quarterfinal of the day tied at a set each, Rybakina saved a match point in the 10th game of the third set and pulled even at 5-all after winning a tense 10-point game, breaking Fernandez on her second break-point opportunity. Soon, they were level at 6-all and it was on to a decisive tiebreaker to decide the outcome.

At 4-all, after Rybakina double-faulted for the second time in the tie-break, Fernandez gained a break point to go ahead 5-4 after Rybakina netted a forehand return. Fernandez smiled as she looked to her father and coach, Jorge, mouthing the words “C’mon, c’mon.”

In a pressure-filled tie-break, Fernandez struck a huge serve that pinned Rybakina behind the baseline. The Russian-born Kazakh could only hit the return weakly. It gave Fernandez her second match point after failing to convert the first one back when she was ahead 5-4 (Ad-40). She swung for the fences and hit a forehand long and it was 6-all as the players switched ends once again.

Next, Rybakina gained her first match point after hitting an inside-out forehand winner to go ahead 7-6. Then, with Fernandez serving, Rybakina put away the victory with nerves of steel, hitting a fourth-shot forehand winner. She was able to hold on and found the winning moment when it counted most. It ended a 72-minute final set.

Suddenly, Rybakina was on to her fourth semifinal of the season after winning her 23rd match of the year, second-most on the WTA Tour with Aryna Sabalenka, one behind Jessica Pegula‘s 24 wins this season. As for Fernandez, who was the first Canadian to reach the quarterfinals at Stuttgart in the tournament’s 49-year history, she left the court disappointed after suffering her 10th loss in 15 matches this season.

During her on-court interview, Rybakina was asked just how did she manage to win the quarterfinal match, especially after saving two match points. 

“I honestly don’t know because nothing really worked,” she said. “Especially in the beginning, there was a lot of frustration. I was just going downhill. The serve was not going. Somehow, I found fight in me and a couple points were important in the second set. Somehow, I started finding this momentum. It was a really difficult day. …

“I’m just really glad that I managed to win and I have another opportunity tomorrow.”

Around the Porsche Arena

As part of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix’s commitment to social responsibility, the German sports car manufacturer has traditionally supported the work of charitable organizations through its “Aces for Charity” initiative.

This year, once again, Porsche will donate 100 euros for every ace served. Last year, a total of 199 aces were served on the way to the final. This year, through Friday a total of 247 aces have been served.

The “Aces for Charity” donation, which will be divided up equally between the “Stuttgarter Kinderstiftung” and the “Stiftung Agapedia” foundations, will go towards supporting projects for children in the Stuttgart area.

Friday’s Stuttgart results

Saturday’s Stuttgart order of play

By the numbers

Two of Coco Gauff‘s 11 career Tour-level singles titles have come on clay: At Parma in 2021 and at Roland-Garros in 2025.

“Quotable …”

“This tournament, for me, is very special with the great field of players. So, you want to play well. It’s the first tournament on clay, as well, so you want to start the season well. … Tomorrow is another big match, another opportunity to give myself a chance to play in the final here.”

– World No. 7 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, who will play in her second Porsche Tennis Grand Prix semifinal on Saturday – and first one since 2021.

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