It has been a superb tournament so far at WTA Stuttgart, with several memorable matches. It is now time for the final between Elena Ryabkina and Marta Kostyuk. Rybakina is seeking to win an eighth WTA title, while Kostyuk is hoping to claim her second. We at LWOT give our prediction in this article, but which player do you think will lift the trophy in Stuttgart?
WTA Stuttgart Final Prediction
Elena Rybakina vs Marta Kostyuk
Head-to-Head: Rybakina 1-1 Kostyuk
Both players have had to work very hard to reach the final. No. 4 seed Rybakina won all her matches at the tournament in a deciding set, prevailing against Veronika Kudermetova, Jasmine Paolini, and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Kostyuk beat Laura Siegemund in the third set, saved five match points against Qinwen Zheng, and defeated Coco Gauff in a final set tiebreak on her eighth match point. Her semifinal victory against Marketa Vondrousova was her only triumph in two sets.
Hopefully, neither player runs out of steam in the final. This is particularly a concern for Ryabkina. Her stunning win against the defending champion Swiatek took nearly three hours. Playing again without a day’s rest will take a huge effort. That means her formidable serve is more important in this contest. Getting free points off it is harder on clay, but it will be an important part of overcoming her Ukrainian opponent.
The importance of Rybakina’s serve is also due to Kostyuk’s playing style. She is one of the best athletes in the women’s game on clay, making her adept at extending rallies. That will help her expose Rybakina’s fatigue and the Kazakhstani’s weaker movement.
However, Rybakina still gets the edge for the final. She was utterly outstanding in her victory against Swiatek. Rybakina dominated many of the rallies with her penetrating shots, making the best clay-court player in the world look very average at times. If she strikes the ball that cleanly again, even someone as quick around the court as Kostyuk will struggle to stop her.
The Ukrainian certainly has a chance on her favourite surface if she can get Rybakina on the move. But the 2022 Wimbledon champion is backed to come through in two competitive sets.
Prediction: Rybakina in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports
