Ostapenko stuns world No. 1 Sabalenka to win Porsche Grand Prix

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Jelena Ostapenko upset No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-1 in the Porsche Grand Prix final on Monday.

Ostapenko beat Sabalenka for the first time in four meetings to win her first clay-court title since the 2017 French Open.

She also beat world No. 2 Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals in her run to her ninth career title.

“I'm really, really happy with my performance in general this week,” Ostapenko said. "I was ready to play every single player, because the draw here is so small. You have to be ready for the best, and I did that.

“I think the game was already very good but I have been working on my mental stuff. I understand what I have to do now. I believe in myself.”

The Latvian broke Sabalenka six times, twice in the first set.

In the second set, Sabalenka won just 10 points and only five on serve. Powering to victory, Ostapenko concluded with an emphatic forehand return of serve.

Sabalenka has lost four Stuttgart finals.

“Great week, great tournament,” she said. “Not for me every year, not for me, but maybe next year.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia during the women's singles final tennis match of the WTA tour, in Stuttgart, Germany, Moday, April 21, 2025. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in action against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus during the women's singles final tennis match of the WTA tour, in Stuttgart, Germany, Moday, April 21, 2025. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)

Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action against Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko during the women's singles final tennis match of the WTA tour, in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, April 21, 2025. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)

Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko celebrates after her victory against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka during the women's singles final tennis match of the WTA tour, in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, April 21, 2025. (Marijan Murat/dpa via AP)

MILAN (AP) — A guard at a construction site near a 2026 Winter Olympic venue in the mountain resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo died during a frigid overnight shift, authorities confirmed on Saturday.

Italy’s Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini called for a full investigation into the circumstances of the 55-year-old worker’s death.

Italian media reported that the death occurred on Thursday while the worker was on duty at a construction site near Cortina’s ice arena. Temperatures that night plunged to minus 12 degrees Celsius (10.4 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Milan Cortina organizers said that the worker died of a heart attack.

“The information we have is that it was a death by natural cause, it was a heart attack. And we are investigating,” Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, told reporters at a test event at the new hockey arena in Milan.

“All the documentation that we have was in order. And we are waiting for the investigation to understand what the specific cause was. At the moment, the information we have from the emergency services is it was a death caused by natural causes ... while he was on site," Varnier said.

The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are scheduled for Feb. 6-22.

The construction site was not one overseen by Simico, the governmental company responsible for Olympic infrastructure, the company said in a statement expressing its condolences.

Cortina city officials said they were “deeply saddened and troubled by the death.’’

Cortina will host curling, sliding and women’s Alpine skiing.

Andrea Varnier, CEO Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 talks to reporters at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena, in Milan, where Ice Hockey discipline of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

FILE - People take photos in front of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics rings, in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)