Sabalenka pulls out of Stuttgart with an injury

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has withdrawn from next week's Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart with an injury, which she says she sustained after winning her second straight Miami Open last month.

"I'm very sad to say that I won't be able to play the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix this year," Sabalenka wrote in an Instagram story on Thursday. "I always love coming back to Stuttgart. The atmosphere, the fans, and the support I feel there are so special to me. And of course, I was really hoping to have another chance to fight for that Porsche.

"Unfortunately, I suffered an injury after Miami, and even though I tried everything to recover in time, I'm not ready to compete. I'm really sorry to miss this amazing tournament. Wishing everyone a great week in Stuttgart, and I hope to see you all again very soon."

She did not disclose the nature of the injury.

A four-time finalist in Stuttgart, Sabalenka was set to make her 2026 clay-court debut after sweeping the Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami and further cementing her spot atop the PIF WTA Rankings. 

She has opened 2026 by winning 23 of her first 24 matches and capturing three WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz titles.

World No. 2 Elena Rybakina will now lead the 28-player field, which also includes Top 10 players Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina and Mirra Andreeva.

Magdalena Frech will replace Sabalenka in the main draw.

Sabalenka is still currently scheduled to play the back-to-back WTA 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome at the end of April and beginning of May. Sabalenka is a three-time Madrid champion and will seek her first Internazionali BNL d’Italia title.

The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix begins on April 13 and will run through April 19. The Mutua Madrid Open starts two days later.