Madrid Open: Elena Rybakina’s Coach Asks Her to ‘Suffer’ in a Physically Grueling Battle Against Yulia Putinseva

Elena Rybakina battles against compatriot Yulia Putintseva in the quarterfinal of the Madrid Open. Although Rybakina is dominating, Putintseva is not making it easy for her. Putintseva won the first set, and the two were toe-to-toe in the second set. As Rybakina looked for her box to take advice, she was met with a surprising response.

Since May 2023, players can take advice from their coaches during matches, mostly limited to the 25 seconds between points. As the world number 4 struggled against her countrywoman, she looked at her box for guidance. Her coach, Stefano Vukov, told her point-blank that, “If you want to win this match, you have to suffer a bit.” A difficult match is what can make or break a player, and such clashes always invite physical and mental suffering.

A triumph here is what might dictate Rybakina’s form for months. Hence, Vukov likely wants her to step ahead of the difficulties and take the win for herself. Many might find the words to be a little harsh, but Vukov and Rybakina have been together for almost 5 years. She has experienced immense growth under the Croatian coach, which points to the fact that such guidance might work for Rybakina.

One can be sure that such guidance will still work for her if she sets herself up for the second semifinal in the Madrid Open, facing either Mirra Andreeva or Aryna Sabalenka. Rybakina’s conversations with her coach leave us with a dramatic moment many times, as it did in the Miami Open.

Elena Rybakina quarrel with coach amidst tough clash in Miami

Rybakina faced Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinal of the Miami Open and lost the second set after being up by 6-5. Before taking the third set, Sakkari equalized 6-6, and Rybakina found herself frustrated and angry. As she lost the point, she turned to her coach with a disappointed expression, and the two argued for a while before the tie-break was eventually played. 

As the two argued, the camera panned to Sakkari, who had a cheeky smile on her face. Rybakina went on to win the match, which means Vukov’s advice clicked with her. This is not the only time Vukov’s out-of-pocket behavior has come to light, as his antics during the 2023 Australian Open brought him under fire. 

Rybakina would go on to defend him after the tournament, and the two solidified their partnership even further, which helped the Kazakhstani player stay in the top 5.