STUTTGART, Germany — In a stunning turn of events, unseeded Jelena Ostapenko triumphed over top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in a commanding straight-set victory at the Porsche Grand Prix on Monday.
The Latvian star claimed victory against the world No. 1 with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-1, securing the coveted clay-court title in Stuttgart.
In the opening set, Sabalenka experienced a challenging battle, facing two service breaks before succumbing after nearly an hour of intense play. The second set proved to be a swift affair, with Ostapenko blitzing through to a 6-1 win in just 28 minutes.
Despite her impressive resume that includes three Grand Slam titles and a total of 19 career crowns, the Belarusian was on the hunt for her first Porsche Grand Prix victory. This loss marks Sabalenka’s fourth defeat in the finals of the Stuttgart tournament.
Earlier in the competition, Ostapenko pulled off a remarkable upset against second seed Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, paving her way to this momentous win, which also marks her ninth career title.
At 27 years old, Ostapenko previously captured the French Open title in 2017, her sole major championship to date. After briefly reaching a career-high ranking of fifth, she is currently positioned at 24th in the world.
