Elena Rybakina has despatched shockwaves via the tennis world after being noticed coaching along with her controversial coach Stefano Vukov, regardless of his official WTA ban! The 2022 Wimbledon champion, who has been vocal in her protection of Vukov, was seen training at a non-public membership within the United Arab Emirates—far-off from the watchful eyes of the WTA however properly throughout the courtroom of public opinion.
Elena Rybakina
The web erupted when a 13-year-old junior participant from the UAE innocently posted coaching session images on Instagram. In one of many photographs, eagle-eyed followers instantly noticed Vukov within the background, confirming that Rybakina remains to be working with the Croatian coach. Given his one-year ban from WTA tournaments, many have been left questioning whether or not any guidelines had been damaged. However in accordance with rules, Vukov is barely barred from official match websites, that means non-public coaching periods are truthful recreation!
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WTA ban and Rybakina’s unwavering loyalty
The WTA’s investigation into Vukov concluded earlier this yr, with the governing physique refusing to publicly disclose particulars. Nevertheless, a report from The Athletic confirmed that the 37-year-old coach had been discovered responsible of verbal abuse, resulting in a strict one-year ban. This implies he’s not allowed to sit down in Rybakina’s participant field, enter the locker room, or coach on match apply courts.
Regardless of the controversy, Rybakina has refused to desert her longtime mentor. She has repeatedly expressed frustration with the WTA’s dealing with of the case, insisting that she has by no means been mistreated.
Stefano Vukov
“Well, I’m just disappointed with the situation, and how the process went. I’m not going to comment much on that anymore,” Rybakina stated after Vukov’s ban was confirmed.
The teaching carousel: Ivanisevic and Sanguinetti stepped in
In an try and stabilize her group, Rybakina initially introduced in Goran Ivanisevic, Novak Djokovic’s former coach. Nevertheless, the partnership lasted solely a month, with the 2001 Wimbledon champion strolling away underneath unclear circumstances. Ivanisevic later described the cut up as “strange” and “sad,” revealing that off-court points performed a serious position in his choice to depart, whereas mentioning that he considers Rybakina one of the best tennis participant on the planet.
Davide Sanguinetti throughout apply with Elena Rybakina on the 2025 Dubai Obligation Free Tennis Championships
“I won’t talk much about it, but I can say that it’s a bit of a sad and strange story,” Ivanisevic stated in an interview with Enviornment Sport. “Unfortunately, some things happened off the court that I couldn’t control and I didn’t want to be a part of that story, so I decided it was best to quit.”
Since then, Rybakina has turned to Davide Sanguinetti, the previous coach of Dinara Safina, for steerage. Nevertheless, Sanguinetti has made it clear that he has no drawback with Vukov’s presence in Rybakina’s group.
Defiant Rybakina continues to coach with Vukov
Whereas critics query her loyalty to a banned coach, Rybakina stays unmoved. The Kazakhstani star has made it clear that she values her personal judgment over exterior opinions, and her current coaching session with Vukov proves she isn’t backing down.
One factor is for certain—Elena Rybakina is enjoying by her personal guidelines, and he or she doesn’t care what anybody thinks!
