The coaching saga surrounding Elena Rybakina continues to captivate the tennis world. Following her split with Stefano Vukov in August 2024, fans thought it was the end of their tumultuous partnership. However, Rybakina, even though she hired Goran Ivanisevic at the end of 2024, shocked everyone by announcing Vukov’s return for the 2025 season. This move left Ivanisevic “blindsided,” according to The Athletic. Since then, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, with Rybakina defending Vukov and Ivanisevic stepping out of his role as her coach. However, the situation is not easy to move on from.
The Australian Open marked Ivanisevic’s first and last major tournament with Rybakina. She reached the fourth round, losing to eventual champion Madison Keys. Following the tournament, Ivanisevic announced his departure, stating, “After our trial period that finished with Australian Open, I wish Elena and her team best of luck moving forward.” Now, two months later, the former coach is speaking up again.
In an interview with an arena broadcaster, Ivanisevic, who coached Novak Djokovic for six years, spoke about their brief partnership. He stated, “I won’t talk much about it, but I can say that it’s a bit of a sad and strange story.” The duo’s first triumph came when Rybakina took down Iga Swiatek at the WTA Finals in December. This gave hope to fans who hoped to see the Kazakh rise once again. Following their split, Elena said to Emirates New Agency in Dubai, “It’s a normal part of my journey. That chapter is closed, and I’m looking forward to achieving new successes with my new coach.”
Despite the controversy, Goran praised Rybakina’s tennis skills, saying, “I already considered her the best tennis player in the world before joining her team. It’s impressive how effortlessly she plays on the court, playing wonderfully. Unfortunately, things happened off the court that I couldn’t control.” Referring to the complications that arose between Rybakina and Vukov’s partnership.
For the unversed, the controversy surrounding Vukov deepened when the WTA revealed he had been banned for violating their code of conduct. According to reports, Vukov subjected Rybakina to mental abuse, calling her “stupid” and telling her she would be “still in Russia picking potatoes” without him. WTA CEO Portia Archer noted that during the 2024 US Open, Vukov’s behavior escalated into harassment. After being informed that his role as her coach had ended, Vukov refused to leave Rybakina alone, violating the WTA’s “no contact” directive.
Interestingly, Vukov is still present alongside Rybakina. Fans noted his presence during the 2025 Miami Open on the practice courts. Additionally, following the announcement of the ban, fans noted that Vukov’s father was present at the Dubai Tennis Championships last month. Even when asked about the ban on Vukov, Elena had noted being “disappointed” by the situation.
Coming into the Middle East Swing, Rybakina added Italian coach Davide Sanguinetti to her team since Vukov’s ban. In addition to focusing on her game, she also spoke up about the lack of support she received from peers during the turmoil.
Rybakina opens up about her support during the coaching drama
After parting ways with Goran Ivanisevic and dealing with Stefano Vukov’s suspension, she’s teamed up with Davide Sanguinetti. At the Abu Dhabi Open, Rybakina shared her thoughts on the new setup: “We are working with David like just did one week of preparation and actually Setfeno a little bit and I knew him a little from before. So he was actually available and sometimes he would speak with Stefanos like since they know each other and yeah we see how it goes. But for now, I’m happy with the way we worked this week. Hopefully, it will go well for us but again it’s something you need to take time and get used to each other.”
Rybakina had a mixed run in the Middle East, reaching the Abu Dhabi semifinals before a quarterfinals exit in Dubai. Later, on February 20, she opened up about her support system, saying, “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.” However, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek have weighed in on Vukov’s suspension.
Gauff noted, “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.” Her sentiment was echoed by Swiatek, who said, “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.”
Now, Elena Rybakina’s recent performance at the Miami Open, where she suffered a first-round exit, marks a significant setback in her career. This loss to Ashlyn Krueger is particularly concerning, given her previous success at the tournament, where she was a finalist in the last two editions. With the coaching drama still ongoing, will she bounce back stronger? Share your thoughts below!
The post “Sad and Strange Story”—Elena Rybakina’s Coaching Saga Takes a Tumultuous Turn as Ex-Coach Finally Breaks His Silence appeared first on EssentiallySports.