Swiatek, Sabalenka, Gauff: 5 key talking points as Stuttgart hosts blockbuster WTA event

Oli Dickson Jefford
Iga Swiatek is looking for a third straight title at the WTA 500 event
Iga Swiatek is the two-time defending champion at the WTA 500 event

All hail Stuttgart – one of the most popular and prestigious events on the WTA Tour.

Arguably the event that kickstarts the clay court season on the women’s tour, a staggering eight out of the world’s top 10 will be in action in Germany this week, with 500 ranking points up for grabs for the champion.

It promises to be a fascinating week and could tell us a lot about how the next two months or so may pan out on the dirt – and here are five key storylines to keep an eye on.

Who can stop Swiatek’s ‘threepeat’ quest?

Maria Sharapova won three straight titles at this event from 2012 to 2014, and a decade on Iga Swiatek is just one title from emulating her ‘threepeat.’

The world No 1 has stormed to back-to-back titles in Stuttgart and with the Pole in strong form so far this season, she is a heavy favourite to win the title again.

It is not hard to see why she has had success at this event; it is a perfect combination of her beloved clay, and she has had consistent success indoors throughout her career.

On a surface that she has dominated since her first Roland Garros title in 2020, huge questions remain about who can challenge her on this surface.

Read More: Iga Swiatek fires warning shot to WTA rivals after successful Billie Jean King Cup campaign

Can Sabalenka snap her final losing streak?

Aryna Sabalenka is once, twice, three times a runner-up in Stuttgart; she’ll be determined to snap that run in 2024.

After winning the first set of the 2021 final, she was beaten in three sets by Ash Barty, and has lost in straight sets to Swiatek the past two years.

The world No 2 is one of the few to beat Swiatek on clay – in the Madrid final 12 months ago – but the conditions are more favourable to her in the Spanish capital than in Stuttgart.

If she is to finally get her hands on the trophy – and take home a Porsche to boot – she may need to find a way past Swiatek in tougher conditions, and will almost certainly need to improve her post-Australian Open form.

Read More: ‘No f***ing chance I’m gonna lose this time’ – Aryna Sabalenka sends French Open message

Will Gauff and Rybakina improve on 2023 results?

Being the world No 3 and 4 – and the third and fourth seeds in Stuttgart – Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina have entered the event a little under the radar.

There can be no doubt that both are leading contenders to claim this title, after some big victories for both women over the past 12 months.

However, Gauff lost her opening match at this event in 2023, while Rybakina has only been able to reach the second round the past two times she has played the event.

With the American a former Roland Garros finalist and the Kazakh the reigning Rome champion, it is evident that both can play on clay.

But both will need to improve on last year’s performances to kickstart their clay campaigns, with Gauff particularly looking for form after a bumpy couple of months.

Will Raducanu or Kerber kickstart their comeback?

After up-and-down returns to WTA action this season, Slam champions Emma Raducanu and Angelique Kerber would have hoped for kind early draws to help settle into the event.

So neither would have likely been too thrilled when the two Wildcards – and two Porsche ambassadors – found themselves up against each other in arguably the pick of the opening round matches.

Twice a champion in Stuttgart and a former world No 1, hometown hero Kerber may have the edge on very familiar turf when the two face off.

But Raducanu is a former quarter-finalist at this tournament, and her two BJK Cup wins this past weekend suggest she is in good shape and feeling very comfortable on the clay.

Read More: ‘Emma Raducanu it’s great to see you back playing at such a great level’

Are Jabeur and Vondrousova ready for 2024 reset?

Less than a year ago, Marketa Vondrousova and Ons Jabeur were up against each other in the Wimbledon final; now, they are both fighting to stay in the top 10.

It has been a torrid 2024 for both women so far but in particular Jabeur, who has slipped to ninth in the world and is languishing at 88th in the WTA Race to Riyadh.

The Tunisian has semi-final points to defend this week and looks in good spirits at the tournament, though has a tough opener against Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Wimbledon champion Vondrousova is only 36th for the year so far and has a tough opening draw of her own against Donna Vekic.

A former finalist at Roland Garros, the Czech is a talented clay courter but will need to find her best quickly.

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