STUTTGART, Germany — In a thrilling encounter, top seed Aryna Sabalenka triumphed over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini with a score of 7-5, 6-4 on Sunday, earning her spot in the clay-court Porsche Grand Prix final against the unseeded Jelena Ostapenko.
As the world No. 1, Sabalenka has strategically managed her energy throughout the tournament. The talented 26-year-old Belarusian received a bye in the first round and advanced via a walkover in the second round.
Against the fifth-seeded Paolini, last year’s French Open finalist, Sabalenka showcased her impressive skills, breaking her opponent’s serve six times.
On the other side of the draw, Latvia’s Ostapenko claimed victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova with a score of 6-4, 6-4, securing her place in the final.
Known for her bold, high-risk style of play, Ostapenko captured the French Open title back in 2017, wowing fans with her remarkable shot-making and unexpected winners.
While that remains her sole Grand Slam title to date, she achieved a career-high ranking of fifth the following year and is currently positioned at 24th in the world.
