Tennis news: Mirra Andreeva wins, Elena Rybakina makes plans, and Venus Williams is honored

Mirra Andreeva won an interesting match at the Mutua Madrid Open. It was the battle of the tennis teenagers making the biggest impact on the WTA Tour between Andreeva and Linda Noskova. Noskova has beaten top players such as Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina, and Andreeva kicked off the year at the Australian Open by upsetting Ons Jabeur.

Andreeva's trial coaching relationship with legend Conchita Martinez who formerly coached Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza appears to be going well. In her Madrid matches against Taylor Townsend and Noskova, she lost the first set but rebounded to win the final two. Andreeva will face 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the Round of 32 on Sunday.

Elena Rybakina is back at work in Madrid after winning a new Porsche at Stuttgart on Sunday. Rybakina does not have a driver's license so she cannot drive the car yet. Prakash Amritraj asked Rybakina if winning the car at Stuttgart made it a priority to get her driver's license. Rybakina admitted that she travels so much during the season that she does not have time to get it until the end of the year. In the meantime, she will allow her mom or others on her team to drive the car. Rybakina takes the court in Madrid on Sunday in the Round of 32 to face Egyptian Mayar Sherif who upset Marta Kostyuk in the Round of 64.

Andreeva and Rybakina continue to add to their tennis resumes while Venus Williams collects another off-the-court honor

Venus Williams earned yet another off-the-court honor. She was named to the inaugural 2024 CULT 100 list. According to the magazine's website the honorees "share a commitment to listening as much as they speak, cultivating their interests obsessively, and exuding authenticity, even when it's messy or inconvenient."

Williams, 43, has lived by this mantra and deserves the honor. Though she has not officially retired from tennis, she has spent less time on the court this year. She played the Sunshine Double, losing in the opening round at Indian Wells and Miami. Her second book STRIVE will be released on September 10, 2024, just two days after the US Open concludes. Could Venus kick off her book tour with an appearance in New York? We will have to wait and see.

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