Kazakhstani tennis star Elena Rybakina has finally ended her quest for a new coach. The World No.5 is set to team up with none other than Novak Djokovic‘s former trainer, Goran Ivanisevic. The two are set to begin their partnership during the upcoming pre-season. Notably, the latest update comes just a few days before the commencement of WTA Finals in Riyadh.

In an official press conference, Elena praised Ivanisevic while looking forward to this alliance. “I’m really looking forward to this partnership,” Rybakina told reporters. “I think he’s a great champion and he has so much experience and I’m looking forward to start. For me, it was important to get better and with the help of the agents we connected and we just decided to start working. So I’m really looking forward.”

Subsequently, Goran took to his Instagram while expressing excitement on joining Rybakina’s team. “Excited about coming back on Tour 🎾 This time, it’s time for some @wta action 💪🏻 Happy to join your team, @lenarybakina,” he wrote.

Speaking of Goran Ivanisevic, he parted ways with Djokovic earlier this year. The 5-year long partnership between both the parties came to an end after a mutual agreement. Under Goran’s tutelage, Novak won 12 major career titles during six seasons. It will be intriguing to see how Ivanisevic transforms Elena’s fortunes when they begin their sessions. As of now, her only target will be to clinch the trophy of WTA Finals. She’s not been in the best form lately, contrary to promising impressions showcased at the beginning of 2024. Hopefully, Goran will help her in finding the lost spirits.

For those unaware, Rybakina was previously associated with Stefano Vukov. Their five-year alliance was extremely successful as Elena won the 2022 Wimbledon trophy – her first Major Grand Slam title. Moreover, she also achieved a career-high ranking of No.3 and reached the Australian Open final in 2023. However, the player stunned everyone when she announced a split with Vukov just before the US Open in August.

In an Instagram post, Elena Rybakina had expressed her gratitude for Vukov while announcing her split. The news resulted in mixed reactions from fans as well as many notable figures. Elena’s decision to pull her name from tournaments like the US Open, Paris Olympics and the entire Asian swing in Beijing and Wuhan made matters worse. This raised doubts about her fitness and overall health. Soon, things took a new turn when renowned journalist Sonya Tartakova revealed a shocking angle to the entire situation.

Elena Rybakina may have gone through a stressful period under former coach

While Rybakina attributed her recent absences to injuries, in a month old interview with Russian journalist Sofya Tartakova shed light on a deeper explanation for Rybakina’s struggles. Giving her honest take on the Kazakhstani player’s decision to cut ties with Vukov, Tartakova said,

“Many people do not understand the reason for such health problems. They said that she is having difficulties, back problems. This is the official reason. Then, during this year, she had stomach problems. But as people who did not work with her but were involved in her professional career say, she is now under a lot of stress, and this is all psychosomatic. She is now completely disorganized, she cannot play.” She also added that Elena’s parents “stood up for her, because she could not break this vicious circle.”

On the other hand, Rybakina didn’t confirm any of such claims. She rather said, “I think we had incredible results over five years.” Continuing further, she added, “We achieved a lot. I started with him when I was 200. Now it’s the next chapter of my career and I want to make the next step.” She also clarified many doubts regarding her relations with Vukov. “Of course, it’s a big change, but I think it’s going to be a good change. Of course, it’s not going to be easy when you’ve worked with somebody for a long time, but we are good with Stefano. I just wish him the best in his new chapter,” she said.

With the latest update on her coaching woes finally coming to an end, avid fans will surely take a sigh of relief. As of now, Elena’s entire focus will be on this month’s WTA Finals where she will lock horns with the top-ranked rivals. It will be intriguing to see how she performs in Riyadh. With Novak Djokovic’s trainer on her side, things should take a positive turn sooner than later. However, it’s too early to predict anything. What do you make of this big news? Do you think the Kazakh will lift her next trophy soon under Ivanisevic? Let us know in the comments below.