Stuttgart Open 2026: Muchova battles past Svitolina to book final berth Karolina Muchova edged Elina Svitolina 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 on Saturday to book her spot in the final of the Stuttgart Open.
The world number 12 will play the first ever WTA 500-level final of her career against either top seed Elena Rybakina or sixth seed Mirra Andreeva in Sunday’s final.
Muchova, the 2023 Roland Garros runner-up, got the edge over Svitolina to claim the opening set as she converted two from two on break points against the Ukrainian.
The seventh seed’s serve deserted her somewhat in the next frame as Svitolina hit back by breaking Muchova three times to claim the second set, which nonetheless lasted over 50 minutes.
The crucial moment in the decider came in the ninth game as Muchova pounced on Svitolina’s service game to get her nose in front 5-4.
That sole break was enough as Muchova then served out the match to love, sealing the deal with an ace out wide.
Later, Australian Open champion Rybakina will look to continue her strong start to the clay-court season when she faces 18-year-old Andreeva, already a winner on the red dirt in Linz this year, in the other semifinal.
Published on Apr 18, 2026
#Stuttgart #Open #Muchova #battles #Svitolina #book #final #berth
Karolina Muchova edged Elina Svitolina 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 on Saturday to book her spot in the final of the Stuttgart Open.
The world number 12 will play the first ever WTA 500-level final of her career against either top seed Elena Rybakina or sixth seed Mirra Andreeva in Sunday’s final.
Muchova, the 2023 Roland Garros runner-up, got the edge over Svitolina to claim the opening set as she converted two from two on break points against the Ukrainian.
The seventh seed’s serve deserted her somewhat in the next frame as Svitolina hit back by breaking Muchova three times to claim the second set, which nonetheless lasted over 50 minutes.
The crucial moment in the decider came in the ninth game as Muchova pounced on Svitolina’s service game to get her nose in front 5-4.
That sole break was enough as Muchova then served out the match to love, sealing the deal with an ace out wide.
Later, Australian Open champion Rybakina will look to continue her strong start to the clay-court season when she faces 18-year-old Andreeva, already a winner on the red dirt in Linz this year, in the other semifinal.
Published on Apr 18, 2026
![Deadspin | Dodgers’ Emmet Sheehan vies to continue mastery of Rockies Apr 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The weekend didn’t start well for the Colorado Rockies, but they will have three more chances against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Los Angeles recorded a 7-1 win in the opener of a four-game series in Denver on Friday night. The Dodgers have won four games in a row and 11 of their last 13 heading into a rematch on Saturday evening. Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 6.60 ERA) will be on the mound for Los Angeles against fellow right-hander Ryan Feltner (1-1, 7.30) of Colorado. It won’t be easy against Sheehan, who has pitched well against the Rockies in his brief career. Sheehan is 4-0 with a 3.75 ERA in four starts against them and is not afraid to pitch at altitude. Three of his starts against the Rockies have come in Denver, where he is 3-0 with a 4.76 ERA. Sheehan’s ERA this season is elevated, but he has pitched well after a rough first outing against Arizona. He went 5 2/3 innings at Washington on April 3 and logged a quality start in a 6-3 win over Texas last Saturday. Sheehan missed the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and returned in June 2025. The Dodgers hope he can be an important member of the rotation this season and give them length in his starts. Tyler Glasnow did that Friday night, going seven efficient innings. “Emmet has enough weapons to pitch at 92 and 94 [mph], he really does,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently. “I hope he’s not just chasing velocity, because the command, the sequencing, all that [matters] as well.” Colorado hopes to get some length from Feltner after Friday’s starter, Tomoyuki Sugano, was chased after throwing 92 pitches over four innings. Feltner has faced Los Angeles seven times (six starts) in his career, posting a 1-3 record with a 6.75 ERA. He threw six scoreless innings against the Dodgers the last time he faced them in Coors Field, which came on Sept. 29, 2024. Like every pitcher, Feltner knows facing Shohei Ohtani is a challenge, but he retired the four-time MVP six of the seven times he has pitched to him. “I would like to say he’s just another guy with a bat, but that’s not true,” Feltner said. “He’s got an incredible ability to cover a lot of different areas of the plate with incredible power. There are really only a few other players who can do that. (Houston’s) Yordan Alvarez is another one. “There are certain guys who can take swings in a part of the zone where they shouldn’t be able to do damage, but they do. You have to be constantly bobbing and weaving with Ohtani.” Ohtani led off Friday night’s game with a double to extend his on-base streak to 49 games, the fourth-longest such streak in franchise history. He can tie “Wee” Willie Keeler for third place in that category on Saturday night. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Dodgers #Emmet #Sheehan #vies #continue #mastery #Rockies](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28711587.jpg "Deadspin | Dodgers’ Emmet Sheehan vies to continue mastery of Rockies Apr 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The weekend didn’t start well for the Colorado Rockies, but they will have three more chances against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Los Angeles recorded a 7-1 win in the opener of a four-game series in Denver on Friday night. The Dodgers have won four games in a row and 11 of their last 13 heading into a rematch on Saturday evening. Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 6.60 ERA) will be on the mound for Los Angeles against fellow right-hander Ryan Feltner (1-1, 7.30) of Colorado. It won’t be easy against Sheehan, who has pitched well against the Rockies in his brief career. Sheehan is 4-0 with a 3.75 ERA in four starts against them and is not afraid to pitch at altitude. Three of his starts against the Rockies have come in Denver, where he is 3-0 with a 4.76 ERA. Sheehan’s ERA this season is elevated, but he has pitched well after a rough first outing against Arizona. He went 5 2/3 innings at Washington on April 3 and logged a quality start in a 6-3 win over Texas last Saturday. Sheehan missed the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and returned in June 2025. The Dodgers hope he can be an important member of the rotation this season and give them length in his starts. Tyler Glasnow did that Friday night, going seven efficient innings. “Emmet has enough weapons to pitch at 92 and 94 [mph], he really does,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently. “I hope he’s not just chasing velocity, because the command, the sequencing, all that [matters] as well.” Colorado hopes to get some length from Feltner after Friday’s starter, Tomoyuki Sugano, was chased after throwing 92 pitches over four innings. Feltner has faced Los Angeles seven times (six starts) in his career, posting a 1-3 record with a 6.75 ERA. He threw six scoreless innings against the Dodgers the last time he faced them in Coors Field, which came on Sept. 29, 2024. Like every pitcher, Feltner knows facing Shohei Ohtani is a challenge, but he retired the four-time MVP six of the seven times he has pitched to him. “I would like to say he’s just another guy with a bat, but that’s not true,” Feltner said. “He’s got an incredible ability to cover a lot of different areas of the plate with incredible power. There are really only a few other players who can do that. (Houston’s) Yordan Alvarez is another one. “There are certain guys who can take swings in a part of the zone where they shouldn’t be able to do damage, but they do. You have to be constantly bobbing and weaving with Ohtani.” Ohtani led off Friday night’s game with a double to extend his on-base streak to 49 games, the fourth-longest such streak in franchise history. He can tie “Wee” Willie Keeler for third place in that category on Saturday night. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Dodgers #Emmet #Sheehan #vies #continue #mastery #Rockies")
![Deadspin | Dodgers’ Emmet Sheehan vies to continue mastery of Rockies Apr 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The weekend didn’t start well for the Colorado Rockies, but they will have three more chances against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Los Angeles recorded a 7-1 win in the opener of a four-game series in Denver on Friday night. The Dodgers have won four games in a row and 11 of their last 13 heading into a rematch on Saturday evening. Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 6.60 ERA) will be on the mound for Los Angeles against fellow right-hander Ryan Feltner (1-1, 7.30) of Colorado. It won’t be easy against Sheehan, who has pitched well against the Rockies in his brief career. Sheehan is 4-0 with a 3.75 ERA in four starts against them and is not afraid to pitch at altitude. Three of his starts against the Rockies have come in Denver, where he is 3-0 with a 4.76 ERA. Sheehan’s ERA this season is elevated, but he has pitched well after a rough first outing against Arizona. He went 5 2/3 innings at Washington on April 3 and logged a quality start in a 6-3 win over Texas last Saturday. Sheehan missed the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and returned in June 2025. The Dodgers hope he can be an important member of the rotation this season and give them length in his starts. Tyler Glasnow did that Friday night, going seven efficient innings. “Emmet has enough weapons to pitch at 92 and 94 [mph], he really does,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently. “I hope he’s not just chasing velocity, because the command, the sequencing, all that [matters] as well.” Colorado hopes to get some length from Feltner after Friday’s starter, Tomoyuki Sugano, was chased after throwing 92 pitches over four innings. Feltner has faced Los Angeles seven times (six starts) in his career, posting a 1-3 record with a 6.75 ERA. He threw six scoreless innings against the Dodgers the last time he faced them in Coors Field, which came on Sept. 29, 2024. Like every pitcher, Feltner knows facing Shohei Ohtani is a challenge, but he retired the four-time MVP six of the seven times he has pitched to him. “I would like to say he’s just another guy with a bat, but that’s not true,” Feltner said. “He’s got an incredible ability to cover a lot of different areas of the plate with incredible power. There are really only a few other players who can do that. (Houston’s) Yordan Alvarez is another one. “There are certain guys who can take swings in a part of the zone where they shouldn’t be able to do damage, but they do. You have to be constantly bobbing and weaving with Ohtani.” Ohtani led off Friday night’s game with a double to extend his on-base streak to 49 games, the fourth-longest such streak in franchise history. He can tie “Wee” Willie Keeler for third place in that category on Saturday night. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Dodgers #Emmet #Sheehan #vies #continue #mastery #Rockies](https://i2.wp.com/images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28711587.jpg?ssl=1 "Deadspin | Dodgers’ Emmet Sheehan vies to continue mastery of Rockies Apr 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The weekend didn’t start well for the Colorado Rockies, but they will have three more chances against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Los Angeles recorded a 7-1 win in the opener of a four-game series in Denver on Friday night. The Dodgers have won four games in a row and 11 of their last 13 heading into a rematch on Saturday evening. Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 6.60 ERA) will be on the mound for Los Angeles against fellow right-hander Ryan Feltner (1-1, 7.30) of Colorado. It won’t be easy against Sheehan, who has pitched well against the Rockies in his brief career. Sheehan is 4-0 with a 3.75 ERA in four starts against them and is not afraid to pitch at altitude. Three of his starts against the Rockies have come in Denver, where he is 3-0 with a 4.76 ERA. Sheehan’s ERA this season is elevated, but he has pitched well after a rough first outing against Arizona. He went 5 2/3 innings at Washington on April 3 and logged a quality start in a 6-3 win over Texas last Saturday. Sheehan missed the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and returned in June 2025. The Dodgers hope he can be an important member of the rotation this season and give them length in his starts. Tyler Glasnow did that Friday night, going seven efficient innings. “Emmet has enough weapons to pitch at 92 and 94 [mph], he really does,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently. “I hope he’s not just chasing velocity, because the command, the sequencing, all that [matters] as well.” Colorado hopes to get some length from Feltner after Friday’s starter, Tomoyuki Sugano, was chased after throwing 92 pitches over four innings. Feltner has faced Los Angeles seven times (six starts) in his career, posting a 1-3 record with a 6.75 ERA. He threw six scoreless innings against the Dodgers the last time he faced them in Coors Field, which came on Sept. 29, 2024. Like every pitcher, Feltner knows facing Shohei Ohtani is a challenge, but he retired the four-time MVP six of the seven times he has pitched to him. “I would like to say he’s just another guy with a bat, but that’s not true,” Feltner said. “He’s got an incredible ability to cover a lot of different areas of the plate with incredible power. There are really only a few other players who can do that. (Houston’s) Yordan Alvarez is another one. “There are certain guys who can take swings in a part of the zone where they shouldn’t be able to do damage, but they do. You have to be constantly bobbing and weaving with Ohtani.” Ohtani led off Friday night’s game with a double to extend his on-base streak to 49 games, the fourth-longest such streak in franchise history. He can tie “Wee” Willie Keeler for third place in that category on Saturday night. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Dodgers #Emmet #Sheehan #vies #continue #mastery #Rockies")
Post Comment