Iga Swiatek boasts an impressive record on clay, having won 89 out of 100 matches in her career. The former World No. 1 and five-time Grand Slam champion, with four titles at Roland Garros, holds the highest clay winning percentage among active players.
Swiatek`s clay-court season is set to commence next week in Stuttgart at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Clay courts perfectly complement her playing style, amplifying her strengths and minimizing any potential weaknesses. Her exceptional agility, precise footwork, and powerful top-spin forehand, which achieves its highest bounce on this surface, are all enhanced on the red clay.
`It`s still a challenge, as it`s not like arriving on clay automatically makes everything perfect,` stated No. 2 seed Swiatek at Stuttgart Media Day on Monday. `Given that we spend most of the year playing on hard courts, transitioning to clay requires an adjustment period.`
`However, I feel like I`m in a good position. With focused effort and dedication, I believe I can quickly adapt and play my best game.`
The WTA 500 Stuttgart event is the first in a series of significant European clay-court tournaments, followed by WTA 1000 Madrid, WTA 1000 Rome, and the prestigious Roland Garros Grand Slam. Since 2020, Swiatek has averaged two clay-court titles per year, securing 10 out of 20 titles in tournaments she has participated in.
Breaking down the top seeds in Stuttgart
Here are insights and key statistics from the top six players in the Stuttgart main draw:
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka: Last year, Sabalenka reached the finals in both Madrid and Rome, losing to Swiatek in both instances. When asked about her chances of winning a clay title this year, Sabalenka responded earlier this month, following her Miami title win, “Hah! Nice question.
“I wish I could confidently say, ‘Yes, I’m going to win.’ But I can assure you I will bring my A-game and positive energy.”
Key stats: Sabalenka, a clay-court enthusiast, had a 15-4 record during last year`s clay season. She has reached three consecutive Stuttgart finals from 2021 to 2023 but is still pursuing her first Porsche Tennis Grand Prix title.
No. 2 Iga Swiatek: Swiatek has had a remarkable start to 2025, beginning with four consecutive victories at the United Cup in Australia. Her only loss was in the United Cup final against Gauff.
In six events played this year, she has reached one final, three semifinals, and two quarterfinals, currently holding the fourth position in the Race to the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
Key stats: Swiatek triumphed in Stuttgart in both 2022 and 2023, defeating Sabalenka in both finals. She maintained a perfect 10-0 record in Stuttgart matches until Elena Rybakina ended her streak in last year`s semifinals.
`I am definitely proud of my accomplishments here,` Swiatek commented on Monday. `It’s great to return and relive those positive memories, but it doesn`t dictate future outcomes. My focus is on what lies ahead.`
No. 3 Jessica Pegula: Fresh off her maiden clay title win in Charleston, Pegula enters this part of the season with boosted confidence.
A rib injury sidelined her from these tournaments last year, but she has previously achieved success, particularly in Madrid, where the high altitude accelerates the game. Pegula was a finalist in Madrid in 2022 and reached the quarterfinals in 2023.
`This time last year, I had to miss the entire red clay swing,` Pegula mentioned on Monday in Stuttgart. `This year, I feel much fresher and more prepared to play and travel.
`I feel good and ready to compete, so I intend to make the most of it. Fortunately, it’s translating into positive results and more matches, which is always a good problem to have.`
Key stats: Pegula leads the WTA in match wins this year with 25 victories, including two titles in Austin and Charleston. She is ahead of Sabalenka, who has 23 wins.
No. 4 Coco Gauff: Gauff`s defensive prowess makes her a formidable opponent in any clay match. Similar to Sabalenka, she faced defeats against Swiatek in the later stages of two significant clay events last year, in the Rome semifinals and the Paris quarterfinals.
Key stats: Gauff had a 12-4 record on clay last season. Her most successful clay season was in 2021, with a 16-4 record, the year she reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros.
No. 5 Jasmine Paolini: After early exits in the first three WTA 1000 events of the year, Paolini broke through in Miami, becoming the first Italian woman to reach the tournament`s semifinals. She aims to carry this momentum into her 2025 clay-court season debut.
Key stats: Paolini`s clay record last year was 12-5, with half of these wins at Roland Garros, where she reached her first Grand Slam final. In the past 15 years, three Italian women have reached the Roland Garros final: Francesca Schiavone (2010 champion and 2011 runner-up), Sara Errani (2012 runner-up), and Paolini.
No. 6 Mirra Andreeva: This marks Andreeva`s first appearance in Stuttgart, but Madrid is where she first gained prominence, reaching the fourth round at just 15 years old. More recently, she reached the 2024 Roland Garros semifinals before losing to Paolini.
Andreeva faces a challenging first-round match against her older sister, Erika, a lucky loser in the draw alongside Errani and Ella Seidel. In their previous WTA encounter in 2024 Wuhan, Erika defeated Mirra in straight sets.
`We will approach it professionally as we have no other choice,` Andreeva stated in Stuttgart on Monday, before knowing about the potential draw against Erika. `We will compete as in any other match. If it happens, it will be a great and entertaining match.`
Key stats: The 17-year-old Andreeva has a strong .733 win rate on clay. She could improve this further, carrying momentum from her hard-court season, where she secured back-to-back WTA 1000 titles at Dubai and Indian Wells, becoming the youngest player to break into the Top 10 since 2007.
….And one more to watch
Laura Siegemund: Siegemund has excelled as a doubles player recently, reaching No. 4 in the world last year. She has also been a Top 30 singles player, with past success in Stuttgart playing a significant role.
Stuttgart has been her most successful singles tournament, winning the title in 2017 and reaching the final in 2016. Her overall record in main-draw matches at this event is 14-6. Her best Grand Slam singles result was also on clay, reaching the 2020 Roland Garros quarterfinals.
Siegemund will play against fellow wild card Jule Niemeier in Tuesday`s first round. All five German players in the tournament are in the same quarter of the draw.
