It appears that Elena Rybakina won't defend her Stuttgart title this year after the Kazakh agreed to represent her nation during the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers week.
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Between April 10-12, Kazakhstan will clash against Australia and Colombia in Group D, with the winner of the group booking a ticket for the BJK Cup Finals event. Group D matches will be held at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, on hard courts.
Since Rybakina's name popped up on Kazakh's team list, some fans were left surprised, considering that the WTA 500 clay tournament in Stuttgart kicks off on April 14. That suggests that the world No. 7 doesn't intend to play the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix - or even if she does - she will be in for a very long trip and will quickly change surfaces - which is one of the most challenging things in tennis.
Rybakina started her clay season in Stuttgart in each of the last three years
After picking up back-to-back round-of-16 exits at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in 2022 and 2023, the Kazakh made it all the way at the tournament last year. Her run also included very notable wins over Jasmine Paolini and Iga Swiatek.
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It should be noted that the 25-year-old didn't represent Kazakhstan against Japan during the qualifiers week last April.
"Thank you. I'm really happy with all the matches I played here throughout the week, especially in the final. Was very solid from me," Rybakina said after winning the Stuttgart title.
So far, Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Zheng Qinwen and Paula Badosa are among the names confirmed for this year's tournament edition of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
If Rybakina indeed misses Stuttgart, then she will likely start her clay season at the Madrid Open, which kicks off in late April. Then, she will presumably also play the Rome Open and the French Open.
