Elena Rybakina‘s complicated coaching saga seems far from over, even in the new year. Why? Just when her fans assumed the former World No.3 and 2022 Wimbledon champion was moving in the right direction, hiring Goran Ivanisevic, the Kazakh stunned them and the tennis world in the first week of 2025. After partnering with Novak Djokovic’s ex-coach last season, Rybakina is now willing to have her former trainer Stefano Vukov by her side in the Australian Open. However, a former WTA pro believes it’s not the right decision, considering Vukov’s alleged questionable conduct.

In the last week of 2024, a report initially surfaced on social media, courtesy renowned journalist Sofya Tartakova. “Stefano Vukov will support Lena Rybakina at the AO-2025. Stefano informed me that he will travel to Melbourne on January 4th. Vukov said he is in touch with Lena and NO BAN for him from WTA.” she wrote in her post on X, dated December 31. Yesterday, however, the officials at WTA came forward, making a much-needed clarification on Vukov, while also igniting a controversy.

“The WTA can confirm that Stefano Vukov is currently under a provisional suspension pending an independent investigation into a potential breach of the WTA Code of Conduct,” said the WTA spokesperson, as reported by The Athletic, dated January 3. This statement contradicts Vukov who said he “definitely never abused anyone.” Now ex-pro Coco Vandeweghe has expressed her honest thoughts explaining why this is all “problematic”.

Speaking in an episode of the Tennis Channel Live podcast, dated January 4, the former American player didn’t mince words on Vukov. Especially considering Rybakina’s willingness to have him back. “I’m sorry, but where there’s smoke, there’s probably fire,” she began.

“I think that this is problematic, to say the least. I think as much as I want to trust Elena Rybakina’s opinion and choices, I’ve seen some other images. I think that we all have in matches that Vukov is not the kindest. He’s not the kindest to Elena Rybakina. And sometimes other people need to protect you if you can’t protect yourself,” she added.

Simply put, she implied that “the tours are trying to do from what they have seen and learned about Vukov.” While Vandeweghe and Rybakina’s fans think the Croatian wasn’t nice to her on tours, what does the player thinks herself? Well, now we know!

Elena Rybakina finally opens up on serious allegations over ex-coach Stefano Vukov’s behavior

Former Grand Slam doubles champion Pam Shriver, Vekic’s coach, has been a vocal critic of Vukov’s behavior. During Rybakina’s 2023 Australian Open final run, Shriver publicly urged Rybakina to find a coach who treated her with respect. In response, Rybakina strongly refuted these suggestions, dismissing them as “disturbing” and “fake news.” Now, exactly one year later, contrary to reports and rumors targeting Vukov for being reportedly ‘borderline toxic’, as Andy Roddick recently put it, in their five-year association, Rybakina has put such allegations to rest.

The World No.6 is clearly upset over the news of a provisional ban on Vukov. She is failing to understand why he’s receiving so much flak. Remember, she parted ways with him back in August 2024.

“I can only say, and I’ve said it already before, that he never mistreated me, or it was never anything like that,” she said, as reported by Brisbane Times, dated January 4. “I’m working with Goran, happy the way we work now for a couple of weeks, and I also said that Stefano is rejoining the team because I know the person for six years – and there is a lot of things that we can do outside of the court too,” she added.

Clearly defending the former trainer, she revealed she was disappointed with the hate against him on social media. “Of course, I’m not really happy with the situation,” she said. “I’m not happy with the comments which I see, especially from the people on the tour. It’s active coaches, commentators. I [don’t] think it’s fair, but the only thing I can say is he never mistreated me,” she concluded.

Well, it’s unclear how Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion and long-time coach of Novak Djokovic, views Rybakina’s decision to potentially rehire Vukov.