Every week on the WTA Tour there's usually a couple of stunning comebacks, where a player is on the brink and then somehow, some way, digs deep and finds that extra gear to steal the win.
This past week in Stuttgart and Rouen, it happened pretty much every day.
It was an especially dramatic and thrilling few days on the clay, culminating in another title for the World No. 2 and a historic final.
Here's everything you need to know about the week that was on the WTA Tour, including the most notable moments and most important storylines.
Star of the Week
Elena Rybakina
The pendulum has swung back and forth between World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and World No. 2 Elena Rybakina all year long. In March it was Sabalenka who reigned supreme, sweeping the Sunshine Double. But with Sabalenka out of action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Rybakina seized the opportunity and captured her second title in Stuttgart, and second title of 2026.
Topping a loaded 28-player draw, Rybakina beat four Top 25 players in four days, including straight-set wins over the red-hot Mirra Andreeva and Karolina Muchova in the semifinals and final, respectively.
It was her 13th career WTA Tour title, and the first time she's ever won a tournament twice. (It's an especially good tournament to win multiple times, as she now has two Porsches in her car collection.) Rybakina has also moved ahead of Sabalenka in the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard, with 3,983 points to Sabalenka's 3,800.
Honorable mention: After a strong start to the year in Brisbane, Marta Kostyuk suffered a torn ligament in her left ankle in Melbourne, and only played four matches -- two wins and two losses -- between the end of January and the start of last week. But she looked fully recovered and fully in form in Rouen, winning her second career WTA singles title, and first in more than three years. She's now up to No. 23 in the PIF WTA Rankings.
Breakthrough of the Week
Veronika Podrez
Debuts don't come much better than that. Playing her first career WTA Tour main draw after coming through qualifying, 19-year-old Ukrainian Veronika Podrez won six straight matches -- including a Sorana Cirstea walkover -- to reach the final in Rouen. After beating 2024 champion Sloane Stephens in the first round, she upset Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Katie Boulter for the first two Top 100 wins of her young career.
She came into the tournament at No. 209 in the PIF WTA Rankings, and jumped up 62 spots, to No. 147, after the run to the final.
First of the Week
An all-Ukrainian final
Speaking of Kostyuk and Podrez, their title match marked the first all-Ukrainian final in WTA Tour history.
"This match today was not just a match," Kostyuk said during the trophy presentation. "It was a historical moment for Ukrainian tennis. First time two Ukrainians playing in the final. I know how much work, sacrifice, tears and sweat goes into this sport, and to be able to be on this stage. So I'm incredibly proud of Ukrainian tennis right now.
"We have [five] Top 100 players, and I hope that this match, and me and Veronika, will be able to inspire more kids to try the sport, to pick up a racquet for the first time and truly enjoy the emotion and passion and everything that this sport brings."
Kostyuk, who was clearly emotional after Podrez's last ball sailed wide, won the match 6-3, 6-4. She finished with 34 errors to 23 unforced errors and broke Podrez six times.
Match of the Week
Elena Rybakina d. Leylah Fernandez, Stuttgart quarterfinals
Oy. So many classics, but we can only pick one ... so we'll go with Rybakina narrowly escaping Leylah Fernandez, who was in control of the match for long stretches and had the Australian Open champion on the ropes multiple times. Rybakina came from a set down and saved two match points, ultimately taking the tight tiebreaker for the 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (6) win.
Fernandez led 4-2 in the decider, and then at 5-4 held her first match point, which Rybakina saved with a forehand winner. Fernandez held her second match point at 6-5 in the tiebreaker, but Rybakina saved it with her signature massive serve. Two forehand winners later, she was into the semifinals.
There were 22 break points in the match -- 14 for Fernandez and eight for Rybakina. Fernandez only converted three of her opportunities, which came back to bite her. (Rybakina converted four.) Rybakina hit 51 winners, and there were 243 total points contested over three hours.
Comeback of the Week
Leylah Fernandez d. Zeynep Sonmez, Stuttgart second round
Fernandez may have let one slip away against Rybakina, but she had an unbelievable escape act of her own the match prior.
The Canadian trailed 5-1 in the deciding third set, but from there she pulled off three critical breaks and a pair of holds to take a 6-5 advantage. Fernandez then trailed 5-3 in the tiebreak, but avoided triple match point after taking a 19-stroke rally with a winner down the line. She went on to win the next three points for the 6-7 (2), 6-1, 7-6 (5) victory in a match that lasted 3 hours and 7 minutes.
For a recap of all the wild comebacks from last week, click here.
Shot of the Week
Harmony Tan's tweener
There's nothing like a tweener, and this was an especially good one. After chasing down an Anna Bondar lob from behind the baseline, Tan executed a perfectly-angled tweener that skirted past Bondar's outstretched racquet.
Bondar admirably applauded the shot. Former World No. 11 Alize Cornet, watching from the stands, also appreciated it.
Upset of the Week
Zeynep Sonmez d. Jasmine Paolini, Stuttgart first round
Coming into the match ranked No. 79, Sonmez took out then No. 8 (and now No. 9) Jasmine Paolini decisively, winning 6-2, 6-2 in just 75 minutes. She became the first Turkish player ever to beat a player in the Top 10.
Social Moment of the Week
Happy birthday, Conchita!
In what is starting to become a Stuttgart tradition, Andreeva and the fans in Porsche-Arena regaled Conchita Martinez with a singing of Happy Birthday. Martinez showed her appreciation with a heart sign. (We especially liked the part when Andreeva sang "Dear Conchie.")