Iga Swiatek boasts an impressive record on clay, having won 89 out of 100 matches played on this surface. Leading active players with five Grand Slam titles, four of which are from Roland Garros, she also holds the highest clay-court win rate.
Swiatek`s clay season is set to commence at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Clay courts perfectly suit her playing style, amplifying her strengths, such as her fluid movement, precise footwork, and powerful top-spin forehand that achieves its highest bounce on this surface.
“It`s still a challenge because it`s not like arriving on clay magically makes everything perfect,” Swiatek, the No. 2 seed, stated at Stuttgart Media Day. “We spend most of the year on hard courts, so transitioning to clay requires adjustment time.”
“However, I believe I’m in a good position. With focused effort, I anticipate quickly adapting and playing my best game.”
The WTA 500 Stuttgart event is the first in a series of significant European clay-court tournaments, including WTA 1000 events in Madrid and Rome, culminating in the French Open at Roland Garros. Since 2020, Swiatek has averaged two clay titles per year, securing 10 out of 20 possible titles in these events.
Top Seeds in Stuttgart: Key Insights
Here’s a breakdown of quotes and notable stats from the top six players competing in Stuttgart:
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka reached the finals in Madrid and Rome last year, both times losing to Swiatek. When asked about her chances of winning a clay title this year, she responded after winning Miami: “Hah! Good question! I wish I could confidently say yes, but I can guarantee I’ll bring my best energy.”
Key stats: Sabalenka enjoys clay and had a 15-4 record during last year`s clay season swing. She has reached three consecutive Stuttgart finals (2021-2023) but is still pursuing her first title here.
No. 2 Iga Swiatek
Swiatek has had a strong start to 2025, beginning with four wins at the United Cup in Australia. Her only loss was in the final against Gauff, representing Poland against the United States.
In six events this year, she has reached one final, three semifinals, and two quarterfinals and currently ranks fourth in the Race to the WTA Finals.
Key stats: Swiatek won Stuttgart in 2022 and 2023, defeating Sabalenka in both finals. She initially had a perfect 10-0 record in Stuttgart before losing to Elena Rybakina in the 2024 semifinals.
“I’m definitely proud of my past successes here,” Swiatek mentioned on Monday. “Returning and recalling those positive memories is great, but the future is unwritten, so my focus is on what’s ahead.”
No. 3 Jessica Pegula
Pegula enters the clay season with boosted confidence after securing her first clay title in Charleston.
Missing last year’s clay tournaments due to a rib injury, she has previously found success, especially in Madrid, where the altitude speeds up play. Pegula was a finalist in Madrid in 2022 and reached the quarterfinals in 2023.
“Last year, I had to miss the clay season,” Pegula said in Stuttgart. “This year, I feel much fresher and more prepared to compete and travel. I feel ready to go and want to capitalize on that. It`s been rewarding with more matches, which is a positive outcome of playing well.”
Key stats: Pegula leads the WTA in match wins this year with 25, including titles in Austin and Charleston, two wins ahead of Sabalenka.
No. 4 Coco Gauff
Gauff`s strong defensive game makes her competitive in every clay match. Similar to Sabalenka, she faced losses to Swiatek in the later stages of Rome and Paris events last year, reaching the semifinals of both.
Key stats: Gauff had a 12-4 clay record last season. Her best clay season was in 2021, with a 16-4 record, the year she reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros.
No. 5 Jasmine Paolini
After reaching the Round of 16 in the initial three WTA 1000 events this year, Paolini broke through in Miami, becoming the first Italian woman to reach the tournament`s semifinals. She aims to carry this momentum into her clay season debut.
Key stats: Paolini was 12-5 on clay last year, with half of her wins at Roland Garros, where she made her first Grand Slam final. In the past 15 years, three Italian women have reached the Roland Garros final: Francesca Schiavone (champion 2010, runner-up 2011), Sara Errani (runner-up 2012), and Paolini.
No. 6 Mirra Andreeva
This marks Andreeva’s first time playing in Stuttgart, but Madrid is where she initially gained attention, reaching the fourth round at 15. More recently, she reached the 2024 Roland Garros semifinals before losing to Paolini.
Andreeva faces a unique first-round challenge against her older sister, Erika, a lucky loser in the draw alongside Errani and Ella Seidel. In their previous WTA match, Erika defeated Mirra in straight sets at Wuhan in 2024.
“We will approach it professionally, as we must,” Andreeva said in Stuttgart before knowing about a potential match against Erika. “We’ll play it like any other match. If it happens, it should be interesting and entertaining.”
Key stats: The 17-year-old has a strong .733 win rate on clay. She can improve this further by continuing her hard-court success, where she won consecutive WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, becoming the youngest top 10 player since 2007.
One to Watch
Laura Siegemund
Siegemund has excelled in doubles, reaching world No. 4. She also has a strong singles history, once being a Top 30 player, with Stuttgart playing a key role in her rise.
Stuttgart is her most successful singles tournament, winning in 2017 and reaching the final in 2016, with a 14-6 main draw record. Her best Grand Slam singles result was also on clay, reaching the 2020 Roland Garros quarterfinals.
Siegemund will play fellow wild card Jule Niemeier in the first round. All five German players in the tournament are in the same quarter.
