Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. Nadia Petrova (RUS) 6-4 6-3
Winner’s Prize: Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
Prize Money: 650,000 US Dollar
The new world No. 1 was unbeatable. Jelena Jankovic, who returned to the top of the world rankings during the course of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, won the final against the Russian Nadia Petrova, the 2006 winner, 6-4, 6-3. “I’m very proud of myself,” said the Serb, who a week previously had taken the China Open title in Beijing. “Winning back to back tournaments is a great feeling.” She eased off a little in the second set but then stepped up a gear to win the decisive points to close out the match. “I’ve already got a 911 Turbo, now it’ll be joined by a Carrera. And there’s still room in my garage,” she said after her success and promised to be back in 2009, “The people in the Porsche Arena are fantastic.”
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. Dinara Safina (RUS) 6-4 6-3
Winner’s Prize: Porsche Boxster S
Prize Money: 700,000 US Dollar
Svetlana Kuznetsova finally succeeded at the fifth time of asking. The Russian gave her countrywoman Dinara Safina no chance in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and defeated the world No. 1 in only 79 minutes 6-4, 6-3. The world No. 9’s reward for her first tournament win since New Haven in 2007 was 107,000 dollars in prize money and a white Porsche Boxster S. “Winning here is a great feeling,” said Svetlana Kuznetsova after her triumph in the sold-out Porsche Arena. “It’s been a while since I last won a tournament. I was a little nervous at the start but I then got better and better and put Dinara under more and more pressure. I played my best tennis of the tournament today.”
Justine Henin (BEL) vs. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 6-4 2-6 6-1
Winner’s Prize: Porsche Boxster Spyder
Prize Money: 700,000 US Dollar
Justine Henin celebrated her first title win since her comeback in the Porsche Arena. In front of 4,400 excited spectators, the Belgian won 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 against Australian Samantha Stosur in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. For the seven-time Grand Slam winner and former world No. 1, it was her second success in four final appearances at the long-running Stuttgart tournament. The first came in 2007. “I’m very emotional. It’s a special feeling,” she said after receiving the winner’s trophy and the keys for the Porsche Boxster Spyder. “It’s also something special winning here in Stuttgart at this wonderful tournament. It’s been a sensational week for me.” Justine Henin is the first player to win the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix after being given a wild card.
Julia Görges (GER) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 7-6 6-3
Winner’s Prize: Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet
Prize Money: 721,000 US Dollar
Sensational win for Julia Görges in the dream final at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Watched by a capacity crowd in the Porsche Arena, the 22-year-old German defeated Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, the world’s number one ranked player, 7-6, 6-3 in a match of the highest class. She is only the second German winner of Europe’s oldest indoor tournament and the first since Anke Huber in 1994. En route to the final, she beat two top 10 players in Victoria Azarenka and Samantha Stosur and the wins have helped her break into the top 30 for the first time. “I had goose-bumps at match point. It was just an amazing feeling playing the final in front of so many people,” said Julia Görges. After the biggest success of her career, besides her first drive in her new Porsche, she especially looked forward to two things: “My niece’s baptism on Monday and finally being able to sleep in my own bed again after three months on tour.”
Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 7-6 6-3
Winner’s Prize: Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
Prize Money: 740,000 US Dollar
She came, saw and was victorious: Maria Sharapova, the glamorous world star of women’s tennis, hopped around the Porsche Arena’s Centre Court like an excited teenager. Overjoyed, she blew kisses to the crowd after crowning her Porsche Tennis Grand Prix debut with a title. In the dream final between the world’s top tennis players, she beat Victoria Azarenka, the world No. 1. Maria Sharapova had already played and lost two finals against the Belarusian but triumphed this time around after making it clear she doesn’t think much of statistics: “The most important thing is what you do on court.” The crowd in the Porsche Arena took the superstar to their hearts and Maria Sharapova can well imagine returning to Stuttgart in 2013. “I really enjoyed the week,” she said, “and it’s always nice returning to a tournament you’ve won.”
Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Li Na (CHN) 6-4 6-3
Winner’s Prize: Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
Prize Money: 795,000 US Dollar
It was a dream final: Maria Sharapova against Na Li, the number 1 seed against the number 2 seed – the spectators in the sold-out Porsche Arena were enthralled. Maria Sharapova, who was presented as the new Porsche brand ambassador in the tournament week, was desperate to retain the title she had won the year before. A reporter’s question as to whether she had space in her garage for a second Porsche was answered short and sweet: “There’s always space for a Porsche.” After having to dig very deep in the semi-final against Porsche Team Germany’s Angelique Kerber to stay in the tournament, she had things little bit more her own way in the final against Na Li. Her winning streak in Stuttgart has therefore continued. “It was a wonderful week for me,” she said after her triumph. “I had to fight hard in every match but the spectators once again supported me fantastically.”
Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 3-6 6-4 6-1
Winner’s Prize: Porsche 911 Targa 4S
Prize Money: 710,000 US Dollar
It was the final the spectators had hoped for. Maria Sharapova against Ana Ivanovic – and the superstars served up a tennis feast. In a top quality final, Maria Sharapova won 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 to claim the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix for the third time in succession. The Porsche Brand Ambassador has now joined the legendary Martina Navratilova who was the last player to win three Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in succession - 1986 to 1988. Though the Russian closed out the dream final relatively easily, the initial stages were not good for the title-holder. Ana Ivanovic put her under pressure with precise and powerful ground strokes, won the first set 6-3 and had a game point to go 4-1 up in the second. However, Maria Sharapova once again called upon her amazing fighting spirit and said, “The Porsche is too sexy to give up,” when being presented with the key for the 911 Targa 4s. “I love competing and always get better when I’m up against it.”
Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3-6 6-1 7-5
Winner’s Prize: Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet
Prize Money: 731,000 US Dollar
Angelique Kerber is the new Stuttgart tennis queen. Cheered on by 4,500 ecstatic spectators in the sold-out Porsche Arena, the 27-year old German won the final of the 38th Porsche Tennis Grand Prix by beating the Dane Caroline Wozniacki 3-6, 6-1, 7-5. The Porsche Brand Ambassador and Porsche Team Germany player is the third German winner of the long-standing Stuttgart tournament after Anke Huber (1991, 1994) and Julia Görges (2011). The tense match with long and spectacular rallies could hardly be topped for excitement. After two hours four minutes, Angelique Kerber converted her fourth match point to secure a fifth career WTA title. Overjoyed at winning her home tournament, she was equally thrilled at receiving the winner’s prize, a 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet. “It’s the nicest moment of my career. When I was behind in the third set, it was really tough for me,” said Angelique Kerber. “But then I saw the car and said to myself, ‘come on keep going’. You can see what it’s all about.”
Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-4 6-0
Winner’s Prize: Porsche 718 Boxster S
Prize Money: 759,000 US Dollar
For the first time in her career Angelique Kerber has successfully defended a title. The Australian Open winner celebrated her second Porsche Tennis Grand Prix success after 2015 in the completely sold-out 4,600-seater Porsche Arena. In the first all-German final, she stopped the sensational winning streak of the qualifier Laura Siegemund when winning in two straight sets 6-4, 6-0. The Porsche Brand Ambassador is therefore the first German to win the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix two times in succession. Cheered by the thrilled spectators, she was presented first with the winner’s trophy by Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, the Supervisory Board Chairman of Porsche AG and Porsche SE and then the key to the 718 Boxster S from the Executive Board Chairman Oliver Blume. “I had a rather good start to the year in Australia,” she said. “It was so important for me to back up the performance with such a success. Winning this tournament for a second time is really, really special for me.”
Laura Siegemund (GER) vs. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (5)
Winner’s Prize: Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet
Prize Money: 710,900 dollars
It was a thrilling final full of drama and Laura Siegemund has fulfilled her dream. In beating Kristina Mladenovic 6-1, 2-6, 7-6(5), the Porsche Team Germany player won the 40thPorsche Tennis Grand Prix in front of a capacity crowd in the Porsche Arena. Following on from Angelique Kerber’s successes in 2015 and 2016, a German player has now claimed the title at the long-standing tournament for a third time in succession. For local hero Laura Siegemund, it was the biggest win of her career, but she had been made to work very hard. The match was two hours 30 minutes old when last year’s runner-up converted her first match point. A short while later, gold confetti rained down on her when she was getting into the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, the main prize awaiting the winner of the anniversary tournament. “Winning here is an unbelievable feeling,” she said, “The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is the nicest tournament on the tour.”
