Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina: the first certainties in the last 8

Porsche Friend Eva Lys’ Porsche Tennis Grand Prix came to an end in the second round. After an emotional opening win against Paula Badosa, the 24-year-old German was beaten 6-1, 6-0 on Wednesday by Elina Svitolina. The current world No. 7 from Ukraine, stood in the 2021 semifinal at the long-standing tournament where a Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet awaits this year’s winner. ‟It’s naturally annoying that things didn’t go better today as I hadn’t completely recovered,” said the Hamburg resident after her match. ‟But my knee stood up and that’s the most important thing.”

Laura Siegemund has also exited. The local hero lost 6-2, 6-3 to Iga Swiatek in the meeting between two Stuttgart champions. The 38-year-old stayed with the four-time French Open winner for long spells, but was never really in with a real chance of winning. For Swiatek, it was her first clay court match of the season. The 24-year-old was accordingly satisfied after her opening appearance in the Porsche Arena. ‟It’s nice to be back in Stuttgart,” said the Pole, who recently spent several days practicing at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca.

Zeynep Sonmez caused the tournament’s first upset in the opening match of the day on Centre Court in the Porsche Arena. The qualifier from Turkey defeated the No. 5 seed Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2 to celebrate her first ever win over a Top 10 player and claim the biggest victory of her career so far. Afterwards, German Noma Noha Akugue, who was once supported in the Porsche Talent Team, lost 6-4, 6-2 to the American Alycia Parks.

In the day’s third singles on the show court, title-holder Jelena Ostapenko bowed out after a three-set defeat – 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 – by the 18-year-old youngster Mirra Andreeva. ‟I didn’t really have a good feeling in the third set,” said the world No. 9, who also won the WTA 500 tournament in Austria last week. ‟But if the week in Linz showed me one thing, it’s that I always have to believe in myself.”

Two Grand Slam champions on Centre Court

Thursday’s spotlight will be on two top stars as Elena Rybakina, the world No. 2 and winner of the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, will take on Diana Shnaider in her opening match. Following on, the reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff will start her campaign. The American will face Liudmila Samsonova. Play on Centre Court commences with the last 16 encounter between Karolina Muchova and Elise Mertens. Next up will be Alycia Parks against Mirra Andreeva. In the final match of the day, Canada’s Leylah Fernandez will face Zeynep Sonmez.

Wednesday’s results

1st Round, singles
[Q] Z. Sonmez (TUR) vs [5] J. Paolini (ITA) 6-2, 6-2
[Q] A. Parks (USA) vs [WC] N. Noha Akugue (GER) 6-4, 6-2
[6] M. Andreeva vs J. Ostapenko (LAT) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
L. Noskova (CZE) vs S. Zhang (CHN) 5-7, 6-1, 6-4

2nd Round, singles
[3] I. Swiatek (POL) vs L. Siegemund (GER) 6-2, 6-3
[4] E. Svitolina (UKR) vs E. Lys (GER) 6-1, 6-0

1st Round, doubles
U. Eikeri (NOR) / Q. Gleason (USA) vs [3] L. Kichenok (UKR) / D. Krawczyk (USA)
6-2, 6-2
[2] E. Perez (AUS) / D. Schuurs (NED) vs E. Hozumi (JPN) / F. Wu (TPE)
2-6, 7-5, 10-6

2st Round, doubles
[4] N. Melichar-Martinez (USA) / L. Samsonova vs L. Fernandez (CAN) / F. Stollar (HUN) 6-4, 3-6, 10-6

Order of Play, Thursday

Centre Court
From 12.30 hrs
[7] K. Muchova (CZE) vs E. Mertens (BEL)
[Q] A. Parks (USA) vs [6] M. Andreeva
Not before 17.00 hrs
[1] E. Rybakina (KAZ) vs D. Shnaider
Not before 18:30 hrs
L. Samsonova vs [2] C. Gauff (USA)
L. Fernandez (CAN) vs [Q] Z. Sonmez (TUR)

Court 1
From 12.30 hrs
A. Panova / Z. Yang (CHN) vs [2] E. Perez (AUS) / D. Schuurs (NED)
[8] E. Alexandrova vs L. Noskova (CZE)
[1] J. Ostapenko (LAT) / S. Zhang (CHN) vs L. Siegemund (GER) / V. Zvonareva
U. Eikeri (NOR) / Q. Gleason (USA) vs A. Parks (USA) / A. Smith (USA)