How a clinical run in Stuttgart put Rybakina back in the 2026 season's driver's seat

STUTTGART, Germany -- When Elena Rybakina won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix two years ago, she occupied the passenger’s seat during the tournament’s signature trophy presentation. Lacking a driver’s license at the time, Rybakina had to forgo the champion's traditional inaugural lap in the winner's vehicle.

Rybakina made sure this year would tell a different story. She finally took the wheel, a move that mirrored her broader rise in the sport; since competing as the No. 4 seed in Stuttgart two years ago, the reigning Australian Open champion has surged to World No. 2 and the top of the draw.

Rybakina captured her 13th career title with a victory that carried special significance: it marked the first time she has won the same tournament twice. The achievement effectively spanned three years, as Rybakina did not compete in 2025 following a Billie Jean King Cup appearance for Kazakhstan. 

"It's nice to win same tournament second time," Rybakina said to press after her 7-5, 6-1 win over Karolian Muchova in Sunday's final. "First time for me winning the second tournament, so it's really nice, special feeling."

The win moves Rybakina back to the lead in the Race to Riyadh and further solidifies a dominant start to 2026. After finishing last season as World No. 5 with the WTA Finals title, she has surged to No. 2 behind a resume that already includes two trophies and three final appearances this year.

Still, Rybakina insists she is not focused on overtaking World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. While it is a goal, she keeps her attention off the rankings. She has prime opportunities to gain more points, given that she only reached the Round of 32 in both Madrid and Rome last season, along with the fourth round at Roland Garros.

"The most important for us, to be consistent and do well, because you can't control how other players are gonna play," Rybakina said. "You just need to do your job as best as possible."

After the final, wtatennis.com sat down one-on-one with Rybakina. Here is what the Stuttgart champion had to say about the tournament, her form and more:

This is the only tournament you've won multiple times. What about the tournament makes it a good fit for you and what do you like about Stuttgart as a city?

Rybakina: The tournament is a really nice and organized. I would say it's very calm here, and I will say they really take care of us. The courts, I think, are pretty good for me, especially it's indoor, so it's easier to serve here. We did some good preparation with the team and slowly match-by-match, I was getting better and better, so I'm pretty happy how the whole tournament went for me.

The one thing that I was going for here since it's a really nice food here in Stuttgart -- I was always passing by some Nutella crepes. I like sweets, a lot and now finally, I will get a chance to eat after.

The moment where you got the drive of the car -- I know you were the passenger last time. Were you nervous driving it down the ramp this go around?

Rybakina: It's very short distance. The only challenging is the first few meters, because you're going down and it's like very thin things [ramps] for the wheels. It was really cool and as I said before, when I won it first time and I couldn't get to drive, I was a bit upset and thinking in my head, 'I would like to come win and finally drive the car.' So that's what happened and I'm very pleased [smiling].

Do you have a name for either of your cars?

Rybakina: I don't have a name. Maybe I should think about it for now [laughing].

Now you have two cars. Do you have room for a third should you win next year or beyond?

Rybakina: Well, we will work it out [laughing]. 

The rest of your clay-court season, you will have a lot of opportunities in Madrid in Rome. How much of a stepping stone was this tournament for you going into the 1000s and Roland Garros?

Rybakina: This tournament is very positive for me, of course, winning and having confidence after some difficult matches here, and I know that the conditions going to be completely different, and I will need to adjust pretty quickly. Also some tough opponents there, but in the end of the day, slowly, I'm improving. I think with the matches playing more on clay, I'm going to just get better and better.

You won in Melbourne a few months ago, and now you are World No. 2. Do you think that you're playing the best tennis of your career right now?

Rybakina: I would say that I'm more consistent, I still cannot say that it's my best tennis. I feel I can still do better, and I think that's important, but definitely consistency is there. I'm improving also coming to a different surface, so that's the most important. Healthy. I don't think it's still my best, and I hope that I'm going to arrive to my really best form at French Open.

You mentioned that you're more consistent in your game. I guess what areas specifically do you think you need to improve?

Rybakina: The serve is the biggest weapon, and I think we cannot stop improving it, so we always need to do something for the serve. The other thing is my physical part because sometimes the tournaments are too long. You need to to have the same level, try to keep the same level from the beginning when you're fresh, to end, when it's already a later stage of the tournament.

Physical part is very important for me, and then some little things return. Some days it's better. Some days it's worse. To get to better consistency and also, whenever I have different opponent, to try to adjust during the matches a little bit quicker.

Regarding your popularity and fan base, I'm sure that's grown over the years with your rise in the rankings. Have you noticed how much of a popular player you are to fans?

Rybakina: I see more and more support no matter where I play, and if we talk about Kazakhstan there, I have huge support and pity that I cannot come too often because of the schedule, but I always feel the support, the love and the most important that a lot of kids are looking up to me and they also want to play tennis, which is great.

Definitely with all these wins, the achievements, you are getting more popular. I'm just meeting much more fans around the world.

On social media, you posted about your new online shop and the collectible token. I was curious kind of where the idea come from and your interest in that?

Rybakina: No, I actually don't do these kind of things, but I was offered to do an online shop and actually we were thinking about this with my team, because then my memorabilia, which I think is very nice to give to the fans. It's also for a good cause because we said that all the profits from this website is going to go to the charities, which I already did it before, so this is a good thing.

About the token, it's just a sign of authenticity that the fans are getting it exactly from me. Because nowadays you can see online, there is so many things and you don't know what is real, what is not, Here it's just a gift in the return that 'yes, this was exactly from me' and I think memorabilia is going to be quite rare, and I don't think I'm going to do it often, but I would like also to do maybe some merchandise or something in the future, so we'll see.