Elena Rybakina is finally back on track. An impressive run on the tour and her rich vein of form was abruptly met with problematic episodes this year. First came her medical concerns and then, she announced a shock split with her longtime coach Stefano Vukov. She skipped the entire Asian hardcourt rubber, but now, she’s teaming with strength to mark a noteworthy comeback at the WTA Finals. What’s more intriguing, is the fact that her counterpart presented her with a stupendous gift.

Three days before the US Open commenced, Rybakina aired that she had relieved Vukov of coaching duties – having enjoyed a highly successful partnership. While star entities like Chris Evert extended support to the Kazakh, many slammed the Croatian coach for his ‘toxic and unsettling’ behavior toward the 2022 Wimbledon champion. With disturbing elements engulfing social media, the only way to come out on top was to focus on her touring commitments. And she’s sort of received a kudos for that; Ons Jabeur made a heartwarming gesture.

Following her touchdown in Saudi Arabia for the final tournament on the WTA calendar, Rybakina posted a string of videos on her Instagram handle. While one showcased her training session, another presented something a tad different than what fans would generally expect. Tagging Tunisian Jabeur on the story, the Kazakh showed fans that the former gifted her skincare set by the popular wellness brand, ‘Kayanee’.

For those unaware, Rybakina is slated to lock horns with Italian player Jasmine Paolini as part of her first out of three group-stage elimination matches in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, November 2. As for Jabeur, the Tunisian star has endured a rough patch this season. Her performances on tour-level events barely bore fruition and now, she has dropped out of the 2024 season.

Ons Jabeur to set foot on the court at Australian Open in 2025

Tunisian superstar Ons Jabeur on Monday announced that she will step off-court for the remainder of the 2025 season. Notably, she was sidelined from the tour way before she dropped her statement. Jabeur skipped the entire North American hardcourt swing, missing crucial events in Washington, Cincinnati, and the US Open due to a shoulder injury.

Currently ranked at No. 22, the 30-year-old took to X and stated: “Due to my ongoing shoulder injury, my medical team and I’ve made the difficult decision to step off the tennis circuit for the rest of the season. I will see you back on the court in Australia 2025.”

With no more professional commitments, Jabuer has time to recoup and fix physical issues that have plagued her performance. An avid supporter of the Saudi-WTA collaboration, despite backlash on the alliance, it would’ve been fun to see the Tunisian flaunt her athleticism in Riyadh had she been free of injuries.