STUTTGART, Germany — Elena Rybakina fought off multiple match points to defeat Leylah Fernandez in a grueling three-set quarterfinal at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Friday, advancing to the semifinals with a 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(6) victory.
The win improved Rybakina’s head-to-head record against Fernandez to 3-2 and added €26,960 to her tournament earnings, bringing her total to €57,395 so far in Stuttgart. Should she win her next match, she stands to earn an additional €42,170, which would bring her total prize money for the event to €99,565.
Rybakina will face Mirra Andreeva in the semifinal, marking their fourth career meeting. Andreeva currently leads their head-to-head series 2-1, including a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the fourth round at Indian Wells in 2025. The two have never played on clay before.
The match lasted over three hours and featured intense momentum shifts, with Fernandez serving for the match in both the second and third sets. Rybakina saved three match points in the second set and two more in the third before prevailing in a tightly contested tiebreaker.
According to match statistics, Rybakina recorded 12 aces and committed just two double faults, even as Fernandez hit eight aces with four double faults. Rybakina won 41 percent of her second-serve points, compared to Fernandez’s 38 percent.
The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is a WTA 500 event held annually at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart. This year’s tournament took place from April 13 to April 19, 2026, on indoor clay courts. Rybakina won the title here in 2024 and is seeking her second championship at the event.
In the other quarterfinal matches, world No. 1 Iga Świątek defeated Danielle Collins, and Jasmine Paolini beat Beatriz Haddad Maia to set up a semifinal clash between the top two seeds.
Rybakina’s victory keeps her on track to defend her Stuttgart title, with the semifinal against Andreeva scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The winner will advance to the final, where they will face either Świątek or Paolini.
For ongoing updates, fans can follow the WTA’s official website or the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix’s social media channels for live scores, match schedules, and post-match interviews.
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