Aryna Sabalenka once again fell short in the Stuttgart Open final, this time losing to Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. It marks her fourth final defeat at the tournament, following previous losses to Ash Barty and Iga Swiatek between 2021 and 2023.
Despite the disappointment, Sabalenka maintained her trademark humor during the trophy ceremony, joking that she might have to buy a Porsche herself since winning one continues to elude her.
“I want to congratulate Jelena and her team on an amazing week,” Sabalenka said. “You played really well and were simply the better player. Enjoy driving that beautiful car. As for me… I guess I’ll have to go order one, since that seems to be the only way I’ll get it!”
Sabalenka has often poked fun at her unlucky run in Stuttgart, where the tournament winner traditionally receives a Porsche. Though visibly frustrated by the outcome, she still showed appreciation for the event and its sponsors.
“I always enjoy my time here,” she added. “Thank you to Porsche for such an incredible tournament—maybe next year, hide the cars so I’m not triggered! But seriously, thanks to all the sponsors for making this a great week. Not for me this time, but maybe next year.”
With back-to-back matches over three days due to tight scheduling and opponent withdrawals, fatigue may have played a role in Sabalenka’s performance. Still, she looked ahead with optimism and a laugh.
“Every year we hope to win the car so we can drive it to Miami—well, not this year. So no car for you guys either,” she joked to her team. “Guess we’ll have to buy one. Hopefully, we’ll get it right in the next final.”