Karolina Muchova falls to Ekaterina Alexandrova in Stuttgart second round

Karolina Muchova returns serve during Stuttgart defeat to Alexandrova.

Seventh seed Karolina Muchova lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 2-6, 3-6 in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. The Czech player won the opening set before Alexandrova mounted a comeback on indoor clay. Muchova converted only four of 12 break points in the 2-hour match.

Muchova entered on the back of a first-round win over qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich. She took that match 6-2, 6-4 after recovering from a 2-4 deficit in the second set. The victory marked her first clay-court success since Palermo in 2024.

Alexandrova advanced to face the winner of Marta Kostyuk versus another opponent. The Russian improved to 2-1 lifetime against Muchova. She held serve in key moments during the decider.

Muchova started 2026 with a Doha WTA 1000 title in February. The 29-year-old beat Victoria Mboko 6-4, 7-5 for her second career trophy and first in nearly seven years. She followed with a Miami semifinal run before exiting to Coco Gauff.

Injuries limited Muchova's play over prior seasons. A wrist issue sidelined her for 10 months through 2025. She reached the French Open final in 2023 before that setback.

Stuttgart offers 1,000 ranking points to the champion. Muchova sits 12th in the WTA standings. She targets the clay swing buildup to Roland Garros in late May.

Alexandrova picked up form after Rouen first-round duty. The pair traded breaks early in Stuttgart before the Russian closed out sets two and three. Muchova tallied 32 winners to 28 unforced errors.

The tournament continues with top seeds like Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka in later rounds