Elena Rybakina Unintentionally Reveals Special Bond With Coach Stefano Vukov After Bagging Brand New Porsche

Elena Rybakina has wonderfully begun her car collection after her Stuttgart Open victory. However, there is a twist to the whole story. In a lighthearted moment after her semi-final victory, Rybakina surprisingly revealed that she doesn’t have a driver’s license yet! However, following her stunning victory, she recalled her coach as a solution to the problem.

The Stuttgart Open tournament is known for its luxurious Porsche car prize as a gift for the winner. And after winning her first-ever Stuttgart Open title, Rybakina is taking home the Porsche Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo. In a post-match interview, the Kazakhstan tennis star was found in good spirits.  Rybakina chuckled about her plans for the luxurious ride and said, “I don’t know yet. For sure, I will drive it around.”

However, soon, she mentioned her coach, Stefano Vukov, and added, “So, it’s gonna for sure be Stefano in the driver seat.” Vukov has been coaching Elena Rybakina for almost five years now. Under his guidance, Rybakina achieved her first-ever Grand Slam at the Wimbledon in 2022. Therefore, who better than him to rely on in times of need?

Although Elena Rybakina does not know how to drive just yet, Rybakina has previously acknowledged her desire to take driving lessons. She has mentioned how it is difficult for her to take consistent lessons because of the constant travel due to her back-to-back tournaments.

However, she considered her victory to be a good motivation for her to continue her lessons and get her driving license soon. Rybakina might have to wait for that to happen. Till then, the off-court guidance of her coach carries her on!

However, even amid the glory and fun interviews, after her victory, Rybakina did not forget to address the powerful performance showcased by her opponent, Marta Kostyuk.

“You’re playing really amazing,” says Elena Rybakina about Marta Kostyuk after the match

In 2024, Elena Rybakina added a new trophy to her collection alongside her previous Abu Dhabi Open and Brisbane International titles. With her latest victory, the World No. 4 has for the first time won three WTA titles in one year. But, like a humble winner, Rybakina did not neglect her opponent’s hard work and resilience. In a post-match interview, she said, “I want to congratulate Marta of course. Been a great tournament. Great matches you played here.”

Further continuing, she added, “You’re playing really amazing. And hopefully we’ll play many more finals.” After losing the San Diego Open final in March, Kostyuk suffered her second loss at the finals of the Stuttgart Open. But even after the defeat, she has not lost hope. After the match, Kostyuk admitted that she wanted to come back every year to play in the tournament.

After her streak of three major titles this season, Elena Rybakina is now vying for her next trophy at the Madrid Open. And although she might not be behind the wheels of her Porsche just yet, she is steering in the right direction on the court.