Elena Rybakina says she’s got room for another luxury ride

Elena Rybakina is running out of garage space.

The world number two claimed her 13th career WTA title on Sunday by defeating Karolina Muchova 7-5, 6-1 in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

It was the second time in three years she drove away from the tournament with a Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet as the champion's prize.

"I still have a little space in my garage. So it's fine," Rybakina smiled when a reporter asked whether she had enough room for another car.

The remark drew laughter from the crowd, but it also captured something real about the consistency she has brought to the Stuttgart tournament, where she is now the undisputed queen.

The victory was significant for several reasons. Rybakina had won her first 12 career titles at 12 different venues, making her one of the rare players on tour who had never successfully defended a title.

Stuttgart ended that sequence, making her a two-time champion at the same event for the first time in her career.

"Winning a tournament for the second time is something very special," she said at the trophy ceremony.

"It's the first time I've managed it. It's such a great tournament. I'd like to come back every year. We players really enjoy our time in Stuttgart."

The road to the title was not without difficulty. Rybakina was taken to three sets in the quarterfinals by Leylah Fernandez, saving two match points before eventually winning 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(6) in what was the most dramatic match of the week.

She then dispatched Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals 7-5, 6-1 before a dominant second set secured the title against Muchova. Across the week, Rybakina dropped just one set in five matches.

The final itself followed a familiar pattern. An early break gave Rybakina a 5-2 lead in the opening set before Muchova rallied to level at 5-5, only for the Kazakh to win the final two games and close out the set.

The second set was one-way traffic. Rybakina broke twice early and sprinted to a 4-0 lead, allowing Muchova one game before wrapping up the title with a powerful serve on match point. She raised her fist with a wide smile.

"Winning it was extremely important and it made my start to the second easier," Rybakina said of the first set.

The clinical nature of her performance once she had secured the opener was a reminder of why she is considered one of the most dangerous players in the world on her best day.

For Muchova it was a bittersweet afternoon. The Czech had produced arguably the performance of the week to reach the final, recording wins over Coco Gauff and Elina Svitolina, two opponents she had gone a combined 0-9 against before this week.

"I had a lot of fun in Stuttgart, we players feel at home here," she said. "I'll definitely try to come back and win the Porsche." She will have to wait at least another year.

The Porsche prize has become one of the more charming traditions in women's tennis. In 2024, Rybakina took home her first Stuttgart car without yet having a driving licence.

She has since rectified that situation, using the Stuttgart Porsche itself to pass her driving test. This time around she took the wheel with full legal authority.

Rybakina's Stuttgart win is her second title of 2026 following her Australian Open victory in January, and her fifth career title on clay.

She now leads the WTA Race to Riyadh standings heading into the Madrid Open, Rome and Roland Garros, three tournaments that will determine whether this is the year she finally adds a French Open title to her Grand Slam collection. She has never gone beyond the fourth round in Paris, a statistic she will be eager to change as her clay-court confidence continues to grow.

"I'm more consistent," she said when asked whether this is the best tennis of her career.

"I still cannot say that it's my best tennis. But slowly, I'm improving."

On the evidence of Stuttgart, that improvement is very much on track.