STUTTGART/WASHINGTON, April 21, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
One of the remarkable things about winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix for any player is earning a grand prize of an exclusive, brand-new Porsche sports car in addition to the 161,310 euros first-prize money plus 500 WTA ranking points.
Two years ago, when Elena Rybakina won her first Stuttgart title over four-time Stuttgart Aryna Sabalenka, she was unable to navigate her new Porsche Taycan 4S Sport Turismo electric car down the victory ramp because she did not yet have her driver’s license. Fast forward to Sunday, when the World No. 2 Rybakina from Kazakhstan defeated World No. 12 Karolina Muchova of Czechia, and this time she proudly drove her new Porsche, a 911 Carrera S Cabriolet in metallic yellow, onto the red clay playing surface inside Porsche Arena to much delight and fanfare from the sell-out crowd of 4,400 tennis fans.
Like her week in Stuttgart, it was a smooth performance that was devoid of any surprises. Best of all, Rybakina, for one, considers herself a pretty safe driver.
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The 26-year-old Rybakina has thrived on indoor clay. In her fourth Stuttgart appearance, she’s won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix championship twice and been awarded two sleek and colorful Porsche sports cars for her efforts. Her straight-set victory over Muchova improved her 2026 win-loss record to an impressive 25-5. Her 25 victories leads the WTA Tour, surpassing Jessica Pegula‘s 24.
“Well, I was excited, of course,” Rybakina said during her champion’s news conference, after defeating Muchova 7-5, 6-1. “The atmosphere was amazing. Even more people I think came, and a lot of support for both of us, so it was really nice to play here.
“Also, I was focusing of course on the game, and I was trying to give everything I have, fight for each point because it’s a final, and of course both of us wanted to win.”
The point for glory! @lenarybakina defeats Karolina Muchova in straight sets to win the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix! 😍🔥#PTGP26 pic.twitter.com/sNTlmLIhur
— Porsche Tennis (@PorscheTennis) April 19, 2026
Although Rybakina earned 500 points for winning the Stuttgart title, which solidified her first-place position in the WTA Race to Riyadh, she said that more than points, “The most important for us, to be consistent and do well, because you can’t control how other players are gonna play. You just need to do your job as best as possible.
“I think for now everything was working well, and we just try to continue now for the big tournaments ahead, and hopefully I can get all the positives from this week to the next tournaments.”
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Rybakina will head to Madrid this week for the WTA 1000 Mutua Madrid Open, where she will be the No. 2 seed and on the opposite side of the draw from World No. 1 and top seed Sabalenka. Last year, she was eliminated in the third round by Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in straight sets. This year, Rybakina will be tested should she make it to the later rounds in Madrid. She could face No. 32 seed Zheng Qinwen of China in the third round; No. 16 seed Madison Keys of the United States in the fourth round; No. 6 seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States in the quarterfinals; and No. 3 seed Coco Gauff or No. 5 seed Pegula, both of the United States, in the semifinals. Of course, the top-seeded Sabalenka looms in the final a week from Sunday.
For now, though, with her second Porsche sports car secured, Rybakina was asked by a reporter during her champion’s news conference Sunday afternoon if she planned to keep both Porsches she’s won or sell one of them.
“No, I will definitely keep it, enjoy the car,” she said, smiling. “Well, I’m not the one who is driving. I have a huge team, family. I think we’re all going to enjoy. Yeah, it’s pity that we are so much on tour that you cannot really stay home longer and enjoy cars, but when the season will end, definitely that’s something I’m going to do.”
Our champion had some words for you! 🧡 pic.twitter.com/yw88LuxhcU
— Porsche Tennis (@PorscheTennis) April 19, 2026
Two years ago, Rybakina said it was pity that she had to sit in the passenger seat instead of driving the car down the celebratory ramp and onto Porsche Arena after winning her first Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title. This time, however, was a different experience and feeling.
“It was just really nice,” she said. “At that time when I won first time, I said to myself, ‘Okay, next time I want to come back and ready to drive.’ So it happened, and yeah, I’m very glad and super happy.”
Around the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
• Tournament director Markus Günthardt struck a positive tone when he looked back at the past week that shaped the 49th edition of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
Elena Rybakina with Anke Huber, Dr. Michael Leiters and Markus Günthardt (photo: Porsche AG)
“Over 34,000 spectators and world-class tennis, we’re delighted,” he said, pointing to four sold-out days inside Porsche Arena.
Important for Günthardt was the WTA 500 tournament once again impressed both on court and off in terms of the atmosphere within the arena, which was “emotional, fair and knowledgeable, exactly for what Stuttgart is known for.”
Operating tournament director Anke Huber said she was thrilled by the level of play throughout the week. “We had an outstanding field of players, six of the tournament’s Top Eight were in the quarterfinals. It reflects the exceptional quality of the event,” she said.
• Championship Sunday at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix began with a special cultural highlight as the world-famous Stuttgart Ballet, supported by Porsche, presented an excerpt from the Roman Novitzky ballet “The Place of Choice” on Centre Court. A total of 17 dancers took part in the ballet, the biggest cast to ever appear in Porsche Arena.
Aces for Charity
As part of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix’s commitment to social responsibility, Porsche has traditionally supported the work of charitable organizations through its “Aces for Charity” initiative.
This year, the sports car manufacturer donated 100 euros for every ace served – and this year, the grand total for the week reached 272 aces – 30 of them by Linda Noskova of Czechia, alone. Porsche rounded up the donation to 30,000 euros, which was shared equally between the tournament’s charity partners, Stiftung Agapedia and the Stuttgarter Kinderstiftung.
Cheques were presented by Joachim Scharnagi, Member of the Executive Board Procurement at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, before the doubles final on Centre Court. The money will go towards projects to benefit children in the Stuttgart area.
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By the numbers
By winning Sunday’s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title, Elena Rybakina has regained the lead in the WTA Race to Riyadh. Her second title of the year following her Australian Open crown – plus reaching the final at Indian Wells – further solidifies her dominant start to the 2026 season. Currently, Rybakina is 183 points ahead of Aryna Sabalenka in the PIF Race to the WTA Finals (3,983 to 3,800).
Last season, after finishing the year as World No. 5 thanks to capturing the WTA Finals title, Rybakina has risen to World No. 2, thanks to her Australian Open and Stuttgart title-winning performances.
“Quotable …”
“It’s nice to win same tournament second time. First time for me winning the second tournament, so it’s really nice, special feeling.”
– Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, after winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title for the second time. It’s the first time that Rybakina has repeated as a titlist. She has won 13 titles overall covering 12 different tournaments.
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