Elena Rybakina Shockingly Pictured Training With Stefano Vukov Despite His WTA Ban
News
Elena Rybakina's desire to make Stefano Vukov her main coach again became more evident after she was pictured training with the controversial Croatian.
The WTA suspended Vukov after an investigation into his conduct as Rybaklna's coach. Some of the findings were quite disturbing, including multiple cases of him verbally abusing her.
Rybakina and Vukov had stopped working together a few days before the 2024 US Open. The reason for that was unconfirmed at the time, and the WTA's investigation only came to light when the Kazakhstani tried to add him to her team.
Goran Ivanisevic was Rybakina's new coach when she suddenly announced on New Year's Day that Vukov would join her team again. This forced the WTA to reveal its investigation and Vukov's provisional suspension before it later ruled that he remained banned.
Ivanisevic also seemed blindsided by Rybakina's sudden want to have Vukov on her team again, and his decision to stop working with her after the 2025 Australian Open was unsurprising. Officially, she has not had a permanent coach since.
However, Rybakina does not hide that she and Vukov remain in contact about her tennis career. The WTA's investigation and comments by the 2022 Wimbledon champion also indicate they might be in a romantic relationship, but that has not been officially confirmed.
Recent pictures circulated on Instagram confirm beyond any doubt that Vukov is consistently working with Rybakina on her game. An account named rashidaaljasmi, which is dedicated to an under-14 UAE national team player, posted the pictures of her and Vukov.
A post from the account revealed that Rybakina had used the private court in the UAE to train. Five pictures from the session were included, including one of Vukov with a bag while Rybakina drank some water.
"Today we were delighted to welcome Elena Rybakina, world No. 3 and Wimbledon champion, to our private court. I wish you many more titles, and soon Roland Garros."
This raises some questions. Firstly, is it Rybakina's plan to wait out Vukov's suspension from the WTA Tour, not work with a permanent coach until then, and then appoint him as her coach once again?
Going so long without a permanent coach would be challenging, but based on her actions in the last few months, that seems to be her most likely plan. This new evidence demonstrates how close Vukov remains to the Kazakhstani.
Some will also be concerned and question whether Vukov is having a damaging influence on Rybakina's life. Going all the way to the UAE to get some private training time seems like a drastic measure to ensure Vukov remains involved.
Hopefully, Rybakina is okay. Unsurprisingly, she has not produced her best tennis so far this year with so much off-court scrutiny, and this latest development will only add to that.
Emma Raducanu is another player without an official permanent coach. She ended a trial run with Vladimir Platenik after just 14 days, but will feel that was justified after reaching the 2025 Miami Open quarterfinals.
