Aryna Sabalenka`s wait to play in the Stuttgart Open is finally over, and she marked her first match of the 2025 tournament with a victory.
Stuttgart: Draws | Scores | Order of play
After reaching the quarterfinals without playing a single set due to a bye and a withdrawal, World No. 1 Sabalenka defeated her former doubles partner Elise Mertens in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, in their quarterfinal match on Saturday night in Stuttgart.
Sabalenka commented after her win, `Finally, I played my match. It`s unusual to play the first match on Saturday. … I`m happy with the variety in my game today. I think it was a solid performance.`
Sabalenka will face No. 5 seed Jasmine Paolini in the semifinal. Paolini defeated No. 4 seed Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-3 in Saturday`s evening quarterfinal. Sabalenka holds a 4-2 lead in their head-to-head record against Paolini.
Patience Pays Off for Sabalenka: After a first-round bye, Sabalenka`s second-round opponent, Anastasia Potapova, withdrew due to injury. This meant Saturday evening`s quarterfinal was her first match this week.
World No. 29 Mertens challenged Sabalenka in the first set. The Belgian was just one point away from leading 5-4 and serving for the set.
However, Sabalenka managed to hold serve and take a 5-4 lead. From that point, the top seed became dominant, breaking serve to secure the first set.
In total, Sabalenka broke Mertens` serve in three of her last four service games. Sabalenka also performed strongly on her own serve, winning her last two service games to love.
Sabalenka stated, `I had a week to practice on these courts, so I felt comfortable. I`ve played here many times, I know the courts, and I feel good on this surface. It was about playing the first match on clay, adjusting to the game, and not rushing.`
Sabalenka now has a 9-2 singles record against Mertens. They also have a successful doubles partnership, winning titles at the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open.
Sabalenka is aiming for her fourth Stuttgart final in the last five years. She was a runner-up in 2021, 2022, and 2023 but is yet to win the title.
Paolini Defeats Gauff for the First Time: In the final quarterfinal of the day, Paolini of Italy needed 1 hour and 28 minutes to achieve her first victory against American Coco Gauff in their third career match.
Gauff began strongly, breaking serve in the opening game. However, Paolini effectively utilized the court as the match progressed and broke back to level the score at 4-4.
Serving at 4-5 down, Gauff had a game that contrasted sharply with her first. She served two consecutive double faults, giving Paolini triple set point. Gauff then lost her serve to love after a backhand error.
Paolini`s strong performance was evident throughout the match. She hit 20 winners, eight more than Gauff, and was near-perfect at the net, securing her first Top 10 win of the year.
Paolini said after the match, `I think I played aggressively, and I was very consistent, with few mistakes. I think I played a great match overall.`
`When I`m on court and hitting the ball hard, that`s what I enjoy about tennis. I like to hit the ball with power. It brings me joy.`
