“I want to finally win the Porsche this year”

"I want to finally win the Porsche this year"

Aryna Sabalenka has made it to the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final three times - and has ended as the runner-up on each occasion. This year, everything should finally work out with the title in Porsche Arena - and the Porsche Macan Turbo, the tournament's coveted winner's car. At Tuesday's press conference, the world No. 1 spoke about motivation, clay court goals and her role in the limelight.

• download
• print
• Send link
• open close
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Aryna Sabalenka is back in Stuttgart - with memories of three bitter defeats in the final. "I lost three finals here against No. 1s," said the current world No. 1. "So I was, like, okay I have to do it. I have to come back here as the world No. 1." She expressed her goal for the week in no uncertain terms: "I want to finally win the Porsche this year."

The 26-year-old is competing for the fifth time in the Porsche Arena - and was expecting a different start to her campaign. As her opponent Anastasia Potapova has had to withdraw because of an injury, Sabalenka will now be in action for the first time on Saturday. "It's a bit awkward," she said with a wry smile, "but I messaged her to find out if everything is okay. We have adjusted the practice schedule a little and there's gym time for me."

Tenniswise, Sabalenka is bang on course in 2025: four finals, two titles - an impressive start, maybe an historically good one. "I think though winning the Australian Open was a better start in the previous years. But I can't complain, but of course I could have done a little bit better in those finals." Her next focus is on the French Open: "I mean, it is mentally and physically the toughest but that's why I'm working really hard and hopefully I can achieve my goal."

Porsche in Tennis

The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is the flagship of Porsche's worldwide involvement in women's tennis. First played in Filderstadt in 1978, the long-standing Stuttgart tournament has been held in the city's Porsche Arena since 2006. It stands for tradition and innovation, as does the Porsche brand. As the most loyal sponsor of women's international tennis, Porsche has accompanied the WTA's oldest indoor event right from the start. Porsche has also been supporting women's tennis internationally for years. Iga Swiatek, Eva Lys and Maria Sakkari are "Friends of the Brand" in their home countries. Porsche has been a premium partner of the "Deutsche Tennis Bund" (DTB - German Tennis Association) since 2012 and is committed to fostering up-and-coming players in the Porsche Talent Team and the Porsche Junior Team.