World number one Aryna Sabalenka continued her impressive run at the Stuttgart Open, defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 to advance to her fourth final at the tournament.
The Belarusian, who has previously fallen short in Stuttgart finals against Ash Barty (2021) and Iga Swiatek (2022 and 2023), now eyes her first title in the event.
Sabalenka showcased resilience in the opening set, recovering after almost surrendering a 5-2 lead to claim it 7-5.
Paolini, 29, started strong in the second set by winning the first three games, but Sabalenka mounted a comeback with key breaks in the fifth and ninth games, securing the victory.
Acknowledging Paolini’s challenge, Sabalenka remarked, “She makes me work for every point. It was hard to get the win. I was just trying to stay aggressive and put pressure on her.”
Next, Sabalenka faces Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in the final on Monday. The world number 24, who upset reigning world number two Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals, eased past Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-4 in her semi-final clash. Sabalenka has a strong record against Ostapenko, winning all three of their previous encounters.
