Iga Swiatek boasts an impressive record on clay, having won 89 out of 100 matches in her career on this surface. The former World No. 1 and five-time Grand Slam champion, with four titles at Roland Garros, holds the highest clay court win percentage among active players.
Swiatek is set to kick off her highly anticipated clay court season at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Clay courts perfectly complement her playing style, enhancing her strengths and minimizing any weaknesses. Her exceptional movement, precise footwork, and powerful top-spin forehand, which achieves its highest bounce on clay, are all amplified on this surface.
Stuttgart: Draws | Scores | Order of play | Tournament info
“It`s still challenging because it`s not like I arrive to play on clay and everything is instantly perfect,” Swiatek, the No. 2 seed, stated at Stuttgart Media Day on Monday. “We spend most of the year playing on hard courts, so transitioning to clay still requires some adjustment time.”
“However, I definitely feel like I`m in a good position. With dedicated work and focus, I believe I`ll quickly be able to perform at my best.”
The WTA 500 Stuttgart event precedes three more significant European clay court tournaments: WTA 1000 Madrid, WTA 1000 Rome, and the prestigious Roland Garros Grand Slam. Since 2020, Swiatek has averaged two clay court titles per year, winning 10 out of 20 possible titles in that period.
Breaking Down the Top Seeds in Stuttgart
Here’s a summary of key quotes and notable statistics from the top six players in the Stuttgart main draw:
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka:
Sabalenka reached the finals in Madrid and Rome last year, losing to Swiatek in both instances. When asked about her chances of winning a clay title this year after her Miami victory, Sabalenka responded, “Hah! Nice question. I wish I could confidently say, ‘Yes, I’m going to win.’ I can’t predict the future, but I’ll ensure I bring my best competitive spirit.”
Key stats: Sabalenka, who enjoys playing on clay, had a 15-4 record during the clay season last year. She has reached three consecutive finals in Stuttgart from 2021 to 2023 but is still pursuing her first title at this tournament.
No. 2 Iga Swiatek:
Swiatek has had a remarkable start to 2025, beginning with four consecutive wins at the United Cup in Australia. Her only loss in six events this year was in the United Cup final against Gauff. She has reached one final, three semifinals, and two quarterfinals, currently ranking fourth in the Race to the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
Key stats: Swiatek won Stuttgart in both 2022 and 2023, defeating Sabalenka in the finals each time. Her perfect Stuttgart record of 10 wins was broken by Elena Rybakina in last year`s semifinals.
`I`m definitely proud of my accomplishments here,` Swiatek commented on Monday. `Returning and recalling positive memories is great, but it doesn`t influence future outcomes. 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. A rib injury sidelined her from these tournaments last year, but she has previously found success, particularly in Madrid, where the high altitude speeds up play. Pegula was a finalist in Madrid in 2022 and a quarterfinalist in 2023.
“This time last year, I missed this clay season swing,” Pegula mentioned in Stuttgart on Monday. “This year, I feel much fresher and more prepared to play and travel. I feel good and ready to go, so I want to capitalize on that. Fortunately, it’s resulting in many matches, which is a positive outcome of performing well.”
Key stats: Pegula leads the WTA in match wins this year with 25 victories, including two titles (Austin and Charleston). She is ahead of Sabalenka, who has 23 wins.
No. 4 Coco Gauff:
Gauff’s strong defensive game gives her a competitive edge in every clay court match. Similar to Sabalenka, she faced losses to Swiatek in the later stages of two major clay events last year: the semifinals in Rome and Paris.
Key stats: Gauff had a 12-4 record on clay last season. Her most successful 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 early exits in the Round of 16 at the first three WTA 1000 events of this year, Paolini broke through in Miami, becoming the first Italian woman to reach the tournament`s semifinals. Paolini aims to carry this momentum into her 2025 clay court season debut.
Key stats: Paolini had a 12-5 clay record 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 (2010 champion, 2011 runner-up), Sara Errani (2012 runner-up), and Paolini.
No. 6 Mirra Andreeva:
This will be Andreeva’s first time playing in Stuttgart, but Madrid is where she first gained prominence, reaching the fourth round at just 15 years old. More recently, she reached the 2024 Roland Garros semifinals before losing to Paolini.
Andreeva faces a unique challenge in the first round, potentially playing against her older sister, Erika, a lucky loser in the draw, along with Errani and Ella Seidel. In their previous WTA match, Erika defeated Mirra in straight sets at the 2024 Wuhan tournament.
“We’ll approach it professionally as we have no other option,” Andreeva stated in Stuttgart on Monday, before knowing about the potential draw against Erika. “We’ll step onto the court and play it like any other match. If we face each other, it will likely be a great and entertaining match.”
Key stats: The 17-year-old has a strong .733 win percentage on clay. She can improve this further if she maintains her hard-court form, where she won consecutive WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells, becoming the youngest player to break into the Top 10 since 2007.
….And one more to watch
Laura Siegemund:
Siegemund has recently excelled in doubles, reaching a peak ranking of No. 4 last year. She has also been a Top 30 singles player, with past success in Stuttgart being a significant factor. Stuttgart is her most successful singles tournament, where she won the title in 2017 and reached the final in 2016. Her overall record at the event is 14-6 in main draw matches. Her best Grand Slam singles result also came on clay – reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros in 2020.
Siegemund will play against fellow wild card Jule Niemeier in Tuesday’s first round. All five German players in the tournament are in the same quarter of the draw.
