Aryna Sabalenka has opened up about the unusual circumstances surrounding Anastasia Potapova’s withdrawal from the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. The World No. 1 was set to face Potapova in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. However, Potapova had to pull out due to an old injury that resurfaced following her victory over Clara Tauson.
Sabalenka described the situation as “awkward,” noting that it disrupted her tournament rhythm. She humorously remarked during a press conference that her next match would now be on Saturday, giving her an unexpected break. Despite the disruption, Sabalenka expressed concern for Potapova and reached out to check on her condition.
The Belarusian player used the unexpected downtime to adjust her practice schedule and focus on gym sessions. She also shared her excitement about starting her clay season and her determination to perform well in Stuttgart, where she has previously reached the final three times.
She commented: “Yeah, that’s a bit awkward, but I was worried if everything is okay with her, so I messaged her and I figure out the situation. I was, like, What are you doing to me? My next match is on Saturday (smiling). Yeah, that’s a bit awkward, but yeah, we adjusted a little bit of practice schedule, and I guess that’s gym time for me.”
Sabalenka’s next opponent will be decided between Elise Mertens and Diana Shnaider. As she prepares for her quarterfinal match, fans are eager to see how she navigates this unique situation and continues her campaign at the tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka in 2025
WWWWWWWWLW Currently ranked no.1, the Belarussian played her last match on the 29th of March when she defeated world no.3 Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2 in the final in Miami to win her 19th career title.
At present, during this year Aryna has managed to achieve a compiled 23-4 win-loss record. Sabalenka clinched 2 titles in 2025 in Brisbane and Miami. Aryna was the finalist at the Australian Open and Indian Wells.
