Elena Rybakina's Stuttgart Title Defense Could Be Jeopardized By Scheduling Decisison
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Elena Rybakina will defend many points at the upcoming 2025 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart if she plays, but the Kazakhstani could be fatigued at the tournament.
This year's Porsche Tennis Grand Prix will begin on April 14th. The top four seeds at the tournament receive byes into the round of 16 each year. Whether Rybakina receives a bye will impact when she starts her campaign.
The 2024 iteration of the indoor clay court event had an incredible entry list, including Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff. Rybakina was the No. 4 seed behind those three players.
The 2022 Wimbledon winner is the current WTA world No. 7. Therefore, she might not be one of the Top 4 seeds if the entry list is as strong as it was in 2024, which could create an issue for her.
Rybakina has agreed to represent Team Kazakhstan in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifying the week before. She and her team are in Group D alongside Australia and Colombia, which is not the worst draw on paper.
However, the matches will be played in Perth, Australia. The radically different time zone and long flights to and from the country could create issues for Rybakina if she wants to defend her title in Stuttgart.
Those Group D matches will occur from April 10th until April 12th. The good news for Rybakina is that Kazakhstan's ties are on the opening two days, meaning she could leave on the night of the 11th to be in Stuttgart as quickly as possible.
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Rybakina would also have to adjust to a new surface if she competes at the Stuttgart Open. The Billie Jean King Cup matches will be played on an outdoor hard court, giving her little time to adjust to indoor clay.
Although Rybakina's schedule is challenging, Kazakhstan's matches being finished on Friday the 11th gives her a better chance. The Stuttgart Open would presumably also schedule her first match as late as possible.
Opening round contests at WTA 500 tournaments like the Stuttgart Open are usually played on Monday and Tuesday. However, it is not uncommon for organizers to make allowances for players with particularly difficult schedules.
Hence, if Rybakina is not among the Top 4 seeds, the Stuttgart Open could still schedule her first match for Wednesday if the Kazakhstani requests it. That seems more likely than the 25-year-old not playing at all.
Rybakina's commitment to playing at the Billie Jean King Cup is admirable, considering some of those who have chosen not to feature. They include Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka, and Paula Badosa.
Gauff will play her first tournament since turning 21 at the 2025 Miami Open. She celebrated her birthday the day after losing a dramatic contest to Belinda Bencic in the round of 16 in Indian Wells.
The likable American announced the release of a new tennis shoe in partnership with New Balance on her birthday. They are more affordable than her previously released signature shoes and celebrate Delray Beach, where Gauff played tennis as a child.
