Elena Rybakina has not played a match since the first round of the US Open, but the Kazakhstani Billie Jean King Cup captain says that is likely to change at the WTA Finals.
Rybakina enjoyed a very impressive first six months of the season, winning titles at the Brisbane International, Abu Dhabi Open, and Stuttgart Open and making the finals of the Qatar Open and Miami Open.
The 25-year-old's toughest moment on the court in 2024 was a painful Wimbledon semifinal loss to Barbora Krejcikova. Rybakina, who won the title at SW19 in 2022, had been a significant favorite this year after Aryna Sabalenka withdrew from the tournament.
A challenging few months have followed for Rybakina. She missed the Olympics in Paris after becoming ill with acute bronchitis, for which she apologized to the Kazakhstani fans.
A few days before the US Open, the tennis world was stunned when Rybakina announced that she and longtime coach Stefano Vukov had split after working together since 2019.
Rybakina enjoyed much success during her time with Vukov, but the Croatian coach was also repeatedly criticized for his behavior during matches. Many accused him of being overly harsh and even abusive to Rybakina.
The former Wimbledon champion's statement about the split was vague, and she withdrew from the US Open just hours before the second round. Rybakina cited an injury, but that seemed like it could be a cover for the real reason.
A well-known journalist later revealed that Rybakina had psychological problems after working with Vukov, showing the fears that existed among fans and analysts about his treatment of her were justified.
Aryna Sabalenka's coach also stated that Rybakina may have asked for Vukov to be banned from the WTA Tour, although he also stressed that he was not certain about that.
Yuri Schukin, the captain of Kazakhstan's Billie Jean King Cup team, said via the Kazakhstani Tennis Federation that Rybakina now feels well and intends to compete at the WTA Finals and the Billie Jean King Cup before the end of the season.
"The leader of our team Elena Rybakina plans to play at the WTA Final tournament by the end of this playing season, where she qualified due to her successful results at the beginning of the year."
"Now Elena feels well, and if she manages to show a confident game in Riyadh,(the host city for the WTA Finals) she is determined to play in the matches against the Korean team."
This latest development is encouraging. Hopefully, Rybakina herself will soon be able to confirm that she is okay and ready to compete again. The WTA Tour has missed her and Iga Swiatek, who hired Naomi Osaka's former coach, since the end of the US Open.
More may eventually come out about Rybakina's split from Vukov, especially if he was banned from the WTA Tour. The reports about the difficulties Rybakina has endured after her time with the Croatian mean any details should be revealed sensitively to avoid upsetting the 25-year-old.
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