Elena Rybakina has combined on-court success with an unusual off-court milestone, revealing that her Porsche Tennis Grand Prix prize helped inspire her to finally obtain a driving licence.
The reigning Australian Open champion said the Porsche she won in Stuttgart in 2024 played a key role in motivating her to take driving lessons, calling it a “good push” to complete her exams. She later confirmed she passed her driving test in 2025 and has since been enjoying driving the car, especially during pre-season trips.
Rybakina added that she did not drive herself to the 2026 edition of the Stuttgart event, but joked about becoming her team’s driver after finally getting her licence. The story adds a lighter dimension to her strong relationship with the tournament, where the winner’s prize famously includes a Porsche vehicle.
On court, the top seed made a confident start to her title defence, defeating Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-4 in the first round. She was particularly dominant behind her serve, winning 91 percent of points on her first delivery and controlling the match in straight sets.
The victory moves Rybakina into the later stages of the tournament as she targets a second Stuttgart title in three years. She will next face either Leylah Fernandez or Zeynep Sönmez for a place in the semifinals.
Elsewhere in the draw, rising star Mirra Andreeva continued her strong clay-court run with another composed performance. The 18-year-old, who recently added another title in Linz, overcame American Alycia Parks 7-6 (3), 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals.
Andreeva’s progress follows an up-and-down start to the season, but she has recently shown improved consistency and composure in key moments, including a win over defending champion Jelena Ostapenko earlier in the tournament.
She now faces a major test against former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, in what is expected to be one of the standout matches of the Stuttgart event. While Andreeva does not yet have a driving licence of her own, her focus remains firmly on continuing her breakthrough run on clay.
