The tennis tour, despite its glamorous facade, can be a lonesome journey for players. While friendships blossom among players due to shared experiences, most spend their time with their teams. We often see top players like Aryna Sabalenka sharing laughs with their team members as she did during the trophy presentation at the 2025 Australian Open. However, Elena Rybakina‘s coaching saga with Stefano Vukov has cast a shadow on this dynamic.

Rybakina parted ways with Vukov just before the 2024 US Open. The WTA later announced his provisional suspension for code of conduct violations. On February 12, the WTA confirmed his continued suspension, leaving Rybakina disheartened. Despite defending Vukov, noting that he “never mistreated” her, she expressed disappointment and a lack of support from fellow players.

Speaking to Tennis.com, she revealed, “No one offered any support. Honestly don’t need. There is couple players I’m in touch more. But to say that I have very, very close friends on tour, it’s I think not true just because we competing against each other. Everybody’s surrounded by their teams.” She referred to other WTA players at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championship who spoke about her situation at the press conference.

Players like Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek have recently shared their thoughts on the suspension of Stefano Vukov. Their comments have sparked important discussions in the tennis world. Gauff emphasized the need for player safety, acknowledging Rybakina’s discontent with the ruling. She stated, “From my understanding, I know she doesn’t like the decision. I know WTA also has the right to protect her. Overall, I think it’s nice that the WTA is making sure that they’re out there to protect players.” This sentiment was echoed by Swiatek, who stressed that all coaches must adhere to the WTA Code of Conduct to ensure a safe environment for players.

Swiatek remarked, “I guess everybody needs to respect the decision because we need to trust that the whole process was made with the right rules. Every personal trainer, and every coach, need to kind of accept the code of conduct when they want to be on WTA. So for sure, I hope the WTA is doing everything to make it a safe environment.” Their comments highlight a growing awareness within the tennis community about the importance of safeguarding players’ well-being. However, amid this supportive backdrop, Rybakina has expressed feelings of isolation during this challenging time.

While acknowledging “a couple of good friends,” Rybakina recognizes the difficulty in empathizing unless one is in a similar situation. “But again, it’s all depends on time, how much you can spend outside or not.” She’s currently focused on her on-court performance. Although Vukov remains suspended by the WTA, before that there were multiple attempts from him to try and stay on Rybakina’s team!

Top Comment by Bob Lor

Why can’t the WTA just leave her alone to resolve her problem with the coach? She’s big and mature enough...more

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Elena Rybakina keeps her eye on the prize despite ongoing coaching saga

The duo celebrated success together, notably when Rybakina clinched the Wimbledon title in 2022. However, just before last year’s US Open, things took a nosedive. A team member informed Vukov of his dismissal, urging him to leave Rybakina alone. Instead, he bombarded her with texts and calls, trying to convince her that her career depended on him. This behavior raised alarms among Rybakina’s support staff, who reported their concerns to the WTA about her safety. Prior complaints about Vukov’s conduct had already put him under scrutiny.

The WTA responded by launching an independent investigation, ultimately leading to Vukov’s one-year suspension for violating the tour’s code of conduct. Despite this ruling, Rybakina expressed her disappointment with how the situation unfolded. “I’m just disappointed with the situation and how the process went. I’m not going to comment much more. It’s not the best time, but I want to perform as best as I can,” she stated. Many players rallied behind the WTA’s decision, emphasizing the importance of player safety.

Now in Dubai for the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships, Rybakina is working with Davide Sanguinetti, who stepped in as her stand-in coach during Vukov’s suspension. So far, she has reached the Round of 16 and is set to face Paula Badosa next. With this coaching controversy still looming over her head, it’s curious to see if Rybakina can navigate these choppy waters and make her way back to the top!