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March 23, 2026, Miami Gardens, Florida, USA: ARYNA SABALENKA, in action during a women s fourth round singles match against Qinwen Zheng CHN at the Miami Open on March 23, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Miami Gardens USA – ZUMAsd3_ 20260323_znp_sd3_062 Copyright: xMichelexEvexSandbergx
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March 23, 2026, Miami Gardens, Florida, USA: ARYNA SABALENKA, in action during a women s fourth round singles match against Qinwen Zheng CHN at the Miami Open on March 23, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Miami Gardens USA – ZUMAsd3_ 20260323_znp_sd3_062 Copyright: xMichelexEvexSandbergx
Aryna Sabalenka had one wish the last time she visited Stuttgart: to finally see the Porsche Museum. It had long been on her bucket list, and when she eventually made time for it, she described the experience as “inspirational.” So much so that she went looking for a car from her birth year, 1998, and came across the Porsche 911 Carrera (Type 996) by Biggibilla. She instantly fell in love with its unique Australian Indigenous art design, making the moment all the more special.
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That memory clearly stayed with the Belarusian. Which is why, when she recently revealed she wouldn’t be able to make the trip to Germany this year, she admitted feeling “very sad.”
The 27-year-old has pulled out of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, a WTA 500 event that will be played in Stuttgart from April 13 to 19. The upcoming edition of the tournament could have seen Sabalenka end her long wait to clinch her first title in Stuttgart, but she will now have to watch others compete from the sidelines.
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“I’m very sad to say that I won’t be able to play the Porsche tennis Grand Prix this year. I always love coming back to Stuttgart. The atmosphere, the fans, and the support I feel there are so special to me. And of course, I was really hoping to have another chance to fight for that Porsche,” Aryna Sabalenka wrote on her Instagram story.
Explaining the reason behind her withdrawal, Sabalenka revealed that she is currently not in a condition to compete. The Belarusian had picked up an injury after the Miami Open, where she had defeated Coco Gauff in the final 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
“Unfortunately, I suffered an injury after Miami, and even though I tried everything to recover in time, I’m not ready to compete. I’m really sorry to miss this amazing tournament. Wishing everyone a great weekend out, and I hope to see you all again very soon. Love, Aryna,” she concluded.
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March 23, 2026, Miami Gardens, Florida, USA: ARYNA SABALENKA, in action during a women s fourth round singles match against Qinwen Zheng CHN at the Miami Open on March 23, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Miami Gardens USA – ZUMAsd3_ 20260323_znp_sd3_075 Copyright: xMichelexEvexSandbergx
Notably, the World No. 1 has reached the final in Stuttgart three times in the last five years, but has never come out as the winner. In 2021, she had lost to Ashleigh Barty before losing the 2022 edition to Iga Swiatek.
The Belarusian had suffered her third heartbreak in the final last year when she had come up against Jelena Ostapenko. Though she had come into the final as the clear favorite, the latter ended up recording a one-sided 6-4, 6-1 victory.
With Sabalenka now ruled out of the Stuttgart Open, Swiatek may very well be the favorite to clinch the title. She has triumphed in two out of the last four editions and will enter the clay swing under the guidance of her new coach, Francisco Roig.
On the other hand, despite her withdrawal from the Stuttgart Open, Sabalenka has managed to bag another major feat in 2026. She has surpassed a record, which was previously held by one of the biggest names in women’s tennis history.
Aryna Sabalenka overtakes Chris Evert despite Stuttgart withdrawal
Sabalenka has surpassed Chris Evert’s record for the most consecutive weeks as World No. 1. The American had previously stayed at the top of the rankings for 76 consecutive weeks. Last week, Sabalenka had recorded her 77th consecutive week on the No. 1 spot.
She has now moved up to 11th on the all-time list. The record is shared by Steffi Graf and Serena Williams at 186 weeks each. Evert also has a longer streak at 113 weeks.
Sabalenka’s dominant performance in the ongoing season has seen her accumulate 11,025 ranking points. She is currently almost 3,000 points ahead of Elena Rybakina, who currently stands on 8,108.
The Belarusian is so far ahead from the rest of the pack that her withdrawal from the Stuttgart Open will have next to no effect on her ranking. Even if Rybakina ends up winning in Germany, she will still be close to 2,500 points behind Sabalenka.
Will Sabalenka go on to break the all-time record that is shared by Graf and Serena? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Written by
Edited by
Firdows Matheen