Plus: Carlos Alcaraz looks go back-to-back in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, while Alexander Zverev looks for home cooking, and Jakub Mensik makes his return, in Munich.
The clay season expands this week. After keeping our attention focused on Monte Carlo for the past seven days, we’ll spread it around to Barcelona, Munich, and Stuttgart over the next seven.
There are no 1000-level events among them, but there’s still a lot to watch. In Stuttgart, the women slide into their clay swing in proper style, with the world’s Top 4 players—Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula—in the field. In Barcelona, Carlos Alcaraz tries to follow the old path of his countryman Rafael Nadal by backing up his Monte Carlo title on home soil. In Munch, Alexander Zverev will look to finally get back on track at home.
Here are three storylines to follow as we make our second stop on the road to Roland Garros.
Aryna Sabalenka takes her first crack in Iga Swiatek’s clay crown
Spring isn’t just clay season; it’s also the season when the Swiatek vs. Sabalenka becomes a living, breathing, often-exciting rivalry. Half of their 12 matches, and all five of their finals, have come on dirt. Two of those finals happened in Stuttgart, in 2022 and 2023. Swiatek’s straight-set wins in both laid the foundation for her Roland Garros title runs two months later.
As they return to Stuttgart in 2025, there’s a different pecking order between the longtime No. 1 and No. 2. In the past, it was Swiatek who was ranked first and who was coming off at least one Sunshine Double title. Now it’s Sabalenka who has both of those things. She won in Miami for the first time a few weeks ago; following that up with her first title in Stuttgart would send a major signal about her potential in Paris.
But a 1 vs. 2 final is hardly guaranteed. Last year neither of them made it that far, and this year the field may be stronger. Third seed Coco Gauff is bound to find her form at some point this spring. Fourth seed Jessica Pegula has won 17 of 19 matches, and has her own Slam designs this season. Sixth seed Mirra Andreeva already has two WTA 1000 titles in 2025, and wins over both Sabalenka and Swiatek.
Sabalenka could start against Clara Tauson, who beat her earlier this season. Swiatek may have to face her nemesis, Jelena Ostapenko, in the third round.