"Max Verstappen she's coming" "Get her signed up to replace Lewis Hamilton": Elena Rybakina taking golf cart for a joyride at Indian Wells amuses fans
Elena Rybakina taking a golf cart for a spin at Indian Wells has elicited hilarious reactions from tennis fans.
Rybakina entered the Indian Wells Open as the defending champion and fourth seed. Following a first-round bye, the Kazakh was set to take on Nadia Podoroska in her tournament opener, but she withdrew hours before the match due to illness.
The 24-year-old revealed that she was still dealing with lingering issues from her gastrointestinal illness, which had forced her withdrawal from the Dubai Tennis Championships as well.
She issued a heartfelt apology to fans and lamented having to forgo her title defense at the WTA 1000 event.
"It is with great sadness I must announce, I will not be able to participate at this years Indian Wells tournament due to gastrointestinal issues. Those close to me know how much this tournament means to me and how much I wanted to come back and defend my title," Rybakina said.
"I would like to thank all the fans who came out here to support me and I am sorry they will not get a chance to see me play this year. Now I will rest and recover so I can come out and play and compete for my fans to the best of my abilities once again," she added.
However, it appears that Elena Rybakina has begun feeling better ahead of the Miami Open, as she was spotted roaming the Indian Wells venue and indulging a fan's request for a selfie.
The World No. 4 explored the venue further by taking a golf cart for a joyride, sharing a glimpse of her escapades on social media.
Elena Rybakina's impressive driving skills prompted hilarious reactions from tennis fans, as they made references to Formula 1 drivers like Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
"Max Verstappen she's coming for you," one fan posted.
"Better than Perez and she doesn't even have a driver's license," another fan chimed in.
In the same vein, one fan quipped that Mercedes should sign the Kazakh as Lewis Hamilton's replacement once he leaves for Ferrari in 2025.
"Girl is drivingggg, Mercedes get her signed up to replace Lewis when he leaves fr fr," the fan commented.
Here are a few more reactions from fans on X:
"Elena Rybakina's serve is one of the best shots currently in women’s tennis" - Pam Shriver
Pam Shriver previewed the contenders for the 2024 Indian Wells title ahead of the WTA 1000 event. The American expressed her admiration for Elena Rybakina's serve, counting it among the best shots currently on the WTA tour.
"(Elena Rybakina's) serve is one of the best shots currently in women’s tennis -- I love watching it," Pam Shriver said.
Shriver also emphasized that the World No. 4 is a formidable threat at every tournament she enters.
"Lost that (second-round Australian Open) match to Anna Blinkova, one of the more memorable (22-20 in the third) tiebreaks you’ll ever see. She’s a threat to win every tournament she plays," the American said.
Elena Rybakina will hope for Pam Shriver's endorsement to carry into the Miami Open as well as she attempts to win her first title at the WTA 1000 event. The Kazakh narrowly missed out on the Sunshine Double last year, suffering a 7-6(14), 6-2 loss to Petra Kvitova in the Miami Open final.