Tennis-Rybakina strolls to Stuttgart title in straight-sets win over Kostyuk

Tennis – WTA 500 – Stuttgart Tennis Grand Prix – Tennis Club Weissenhof, Stuttgart, Germany – April 21, 2024 Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina celebrates after winning her final match against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters) -Elena Rybakina had little trouble in seeing off Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-2 to win the Stuttgart Open on Sunday, her third title this year.

Rybakina adds the Stuttgart title to her wins in the Brisbane International and the Abu Dhabi Open this year. For Kostyuk, this was her second final defeat of 2024 after she lost the decider of the San Diego Open in March.

“I want to congratulate Marta of course, been a great tournament, great matches you played here, you’re playing really amazing and hopefully we’ll play many more finals,” Rybakina said.

The Kazakhstani fourth seed broke to love in the opening game and cruised to the first set, breaking again to make it 5-2 and then holding to love.

Kostyuk had no answer and when her opponent broke serve once more in the first game of the second set, the unseeded Ukrainian cut a forlorn figure as she dropped to her knees.

Rybakina, who defeated world number one and winner of the last two titles Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals, showed no mercy and Kostyuk forced her only break points over the course of the match when 3-2 down in the second set.

If there was to be a comeback, this was Kostyuk’s chance, but the 21-year-old looked close to tears as she failed to take advantage of three break points, constantly looking in frustration at her coach in the crowd.

Rybakina held serve then broke again to make it 5-2 to leave her serving for the match. After hitting 10 aces in her win over Swiatek, she did not need any to dismiss Kostyuk.

“It’s an amazing event and I hope to be back here every year, thank you,” Kostyuk said.

“I want to say how incredibly proud I am to see so many Ukrainian flags out here this week.”

(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)