Elena Rybakina received the customary Porsche car after winning the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, but she didn't drive it like most players.
Porsche sponsors the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart, giving away a car to every champion. Generally, when players win the event, they step in the car and drive it around the tennis court, but that didn't happen this year with Rybakina.
The car is generally displayed courtside for the duration of the event, and when the final concludes, a ramp is set up for driving the car from the podium to the court. Last year, Iga Swiatek showcased her driving skills by doing so; however, this year, the champion didn't.
The reason is simple: Rybakina doesn't have a driver's license, which she shared after her semi-final win over Swiatek. She also revealed that she wanted to get her license for a while but never really found the time to do it.
She's hoping to get it sometime this year, admitting that for now, it's either her coach or her mom who will drive the car that she won from the German manufacturer.
"Well, I don't know yet (smiling). For sure I will drive it around, and we are thinking to have it in Dubai. So it's going to be for sure Stefano driving, maybe my mom, hopefully me soon. So yeah (smiling)."
Whoever drives it now doesn't really matter because, eventually, it will fall into Rybakina's hands. She's won it, and it's her car, and as per her own words, she's working towards sitting on the driving side.
For now, the Kazakhstani player will have to admire the car from the outside, or from the passenger's seat, like she did during the trophy presentation in the Germany city.
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