Elena Rybakina’s 2024 season seems to be riddled with obstacles at every turn, if her split with ex-coach Stefano Vukov is anything to go by. The former Wimbledon champion faced some physical setbacks, including a persistent lower back injury that led to multiple tournament withdrawals—eight times this year alone. While the fans and spectators show their concerns, some are still finding answers to the question of what happened between Rybakina and Vukov that resulted in the split.

Rybakina shared her thoughts on the situation on social media, but due to the unexpected turn of events, the true cause behind the split is still under wraps. The duo did have a rather successful run together, including Rybakina’s 2022 Wimbledon title. So when she took to Instagram to leave this message: “After five years, Stefano and I are no longer working together. I thank him for his work on-court and wish him all the best for the best,” something just didn’t add up.

Since the news of their split surfaced, Vukov has been silent on the matter, staying on the down low while fans watch Rybakina’s season take a hit. Dubrov mentioned that he refrained from contacting Vukov during this tumultuous time, stating, “There were internal matters. This was during the US Open; I didn’t want to intrude but thought I’d stay realistic and keep the focus on my people. If there’s no news, I’ll write to Stefano and ask how he is.” 

Moreover, Dubrov highlighted the challenges of obtaining information about players’ situations. “Since tennis is an individual sport, teams remain within themselves, and it’s rare to enter another team’s personal space,” he explained. Dubrov also referenced theories circulating on social media regarding Rybakina’s split with coach Stefano Vukov, suggesting that while they initially thrived together, the strain of their partnership ultimately impacted her performance.

Dubrov speculated that Rybakina might have approached the WTA to remove Vukov from coaches’ listings, indicating potential internal conflicts. “I don’t understand what the prerequisites could be. Sometimes, when someone ends a coaching relationship, they may reach out to the WTA in a fit of emotion, asking to remove their coach from all listings. Maybe they had such a fight that she approached the WTA and said to remove his name.”

After a strong start to the 2024 season, the Kazakh won titles at the Brisbane International, Abu Dhabi Open, and Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. However, her momentum has faltered significantly. Since withdrawing from the US Open and the Asian swing due to ongoing physical and mental health challenges, she has faced eight withdrawals this year alone.

While currently ranked No. 4 in the WTA rankings, her recent struggles have left fans and analysts questioning her ability to bounce back before the season finale.

The tennis community tries to make sense of Rybakina’s troubled campaign

Journalist Sofya Tartakova revealed the emotional toll Elena Rybakina has faced due to her former coach, Stefano Vukov. She stated, “Rybakina’s parents stood up for her because she could not break this vicious circle. Her parents insisted that Lena change something in her tennis life because there was pressure, insults, and bad words said to her. They were constantly from Vukov’s lips.”

Even the former world No. 1 Andy Roddick issued a warning about potential “bad news” regarding Elena Rybakina’s situation. Taking to his podcast, Served with Andy Roddick, he remarked, “There’s obviously more to the story, but we can’t have an opinion on something we don’t know anything about.” Roddick pointed out that Rybakina’s coach was banned from the tour, emphasizing that such actions don’t happen without reason: “You don’t get kicked off for nothing.”

Additionally, tennis icons like Rennae Stubbs, Chris Evert, and Kim Clijsters have publicly expressed their support for Elena Rybakina as she struggles to regain her form. While the specifics of the split are yet to be out, everyone is just hoping for the best for Rybakina.