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Will Iga Swiatek Fall to 0-6 Against Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart?

Iga Swiatek looks to pick up her first win against Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart.
Pat Benson|
Iga Swiatek will face Jelena Ostapenko in the Stuttgart Open quarterfinal.
Iga Swiatek will face Jelena Ostapenko in the Stuttgart Open quarterfinal. | IMAGO / Eibner

Few WTA players are more dominant than Iga Swiatek. The World No. 2 has already jumped out to a record of 22-6 this season.

Although Swiatek is in the midst of a title drought dating back to last June, clay court season is here and that is where she thrives. However, the Stuttgart Open (called the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix) has a challenging field.

Before Swiatek even faces any seeded players she must conquer a rival that has owned her in head-to-head matches. Swiatek faces Jelena Ostapenko in the quarterfinal on Saturday, April 19.

Ostapenko is 5-0 against Swiatek in their meetings on the WTA Tour level. The last time they faced each other in the Doha Open, Swiatek smashed her racket in anger as Ostapenko smirked from the other bench.

The signifigance of the match is not lost on Swiatek. Falling to 0-6 against Ostapenko and suffering an early exit in her first clay court tournament of the year would be disastrous.

Swiatek and her coach, Wim Fissette, were in attendance to watch Ostapenko's match against the seventh-seed Emma Navarro last night.

The two players have never met on clay before, so Swiatek should have the clear advantage. Four of Swiatek's five Grand Slams came on the clay courts at the French Open (with one on hard courts at the 2022 US Open).

It is still early in the season, and very early in the clay court campaign, but tomorrow's match between Swiatek and Ostapenko carries major implications for the rest of the year.

Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the tennis court and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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