The 2022 Wimbledon champion, Elena Rybakina, doesn’t seem to have a great time in terms of her performance. Recently, five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek took her down in straight sets to take Poland into the Final of the mixed-teams United Cup on Saturday with a massive win over Kazakhstan. However, the on-court setback isn’t the only trouble for her right now.

Elena Rybakina has come forward to defend her former coach Stefano Vukov after the WTA conditionally suspended him. The governing body accused Vukov of violating their Code of Conduct, leading to a ban from player-only areas at WTA events. These areas include practice courts, training facilities, and restaurants. Concerns about Vukov’s behavior toward Rybakina had been raised over the past few seasons. However, the exact details of the alleged violations remain unclear. Vukov has denied all accusations, saying, “I never abused anyone.”

Rybakina addressed the issue during a press conference when asked about her coach’s ban. Expressing her dissatisfaction with the ongoing criticism and media coverage, she said, “Well, I’m working with Goran, and these articles came out. I mean, I can only say and I said it already before that he never mistreated me or it was never anything like that. I mean, I’m working with Goran. I’m happy the way we work now for the couple of weeks. As I also said, that Stefano is rejoining the team because I know the person for six years, and there is a lot of things we can do outside of the court too.”

Rybakina strongly criticized the comments made by some people on tour. “Of course, I’m not really happy with the situation. I’m not happy with the comments which I see, especially from the people who are on the tour. It’s active coaches, commentators. I don’t think that it’s fair,” she added.

Despite the controversy, Rybakina reaffirmed her respect for Vukov and his contributions to her career. She acknowledged the important role he played in her rise from being ranked 200 to winning Wimbledon and entering the top ranks of women’s tennis.

While Goran Ivanisevic currently coaches Rybakina, she has announced that Vukov will rejoin her team. The situation raises questions about how her coaching setup will evolve as the Australian Open approaches.

Elena Rybakina reunites with Stefano Vukov despite controversy

Elena Rybakina has reunited with her former coach Stefano Vukov. The 2022 Wimbledon champion announced his return for the 2025 season on Instagram. She expressed excitement about working with him again, calling it a fresh start. The announcement came ahead of the Australian Open, with reports confirming Vukov’s travel to Melbourne on January 4 to support her.

Rybakina and Vukov had ended their partnership last summer before the US Open after a five-year working relationship. The partnership bore fruit including her first Grand Slam singles title, another runner-up finish at the 2023 Australian Open, and a career-high ranking of world No. 3. Despite these successes, Vukov faced criticism for his coaching style, including on-court behavior that many consider too intense.

Pam Shriver, a 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion, voiced her disappointment at Rybakina’s decision to bring Vukov back. Shriver expressed her concerns on social media, calling the reunion “very sad.” She urged the tennis community to address player-coach relationships, saying, “It’s time for our entire sport to finally stand up to known abuse and cult-like manipulations of players.”

Meanwhile, Rybakina remains focused on her game. After exiting the United Cup to Poland in the semi-finals, she is now determined to prepare herself ahead of the Australian Open. Meanwhile, the United States, led by Coco Gauff, or the Czech Republic will face last year’s runners-up in the United Cup final on Sunday.