Champions Corner: A closer look at Rybakina's victory ride in Stuttgart

WTA Staff

STUTTGART -- Elena Rybakina is in no rush to celebrate her prize for winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Along with the $123,480 in prize money for winning her third WTA 500 of the season, the World No.4 earned the chance to customize the full loadout of her Porsche.

It's one of the most unique and soughtafter prizes on the Hologic WTA Tour. The champion earns the right to drive the signature car down onto the court at the Porsche Arena as part of the ceremony. But after Rybakina rolled through a 69-minute win over Marta Kostyuk to take the title, it was Porsche CEO Oliver Blume who had to serve as her chauffeur.

As it turns out, the 24-year-old Wimbledon champion hasn't had the time to get her driver's license.

«I wanted it from a young age when I was 17,» Rybakina told WTA Insider. «We have a lot of places we go, especially in America, where you want to take a car and go by yourself.

«It's really needed at Indian Wells. You don't want to be dependent on someone. You want to take the car and go somewhere alone for a bit. So I think it's a good thing to have and it's definitely something I want to do.»

Of course, Rybakina is a little bit busy at the moment. She leaves Stuttgart as the season leader in titles (3), finals (5) and WTA match-wins (26). After holding off two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semifinals, she's now the only player on tour to have beaten the World No.1 and No.2 this season.