WTA Ship Minders’-coach Surfaces as Tennis Insider Makes a Enormous Declare

Elena Rybakina would “nonetheless be in Russia choosing potatoes,” mentioned Stefano Vukov, in response to a three-page letter issued by Portia Archer, the CEO of WTA, to the coach. Of all of the skilled splits over the past yr, Elena Rybakina‘s controversial call-out with ex-coach Stefano Vukov takes the highest spot. On Wednesday, February 12, the WTA – the governing physique of girls’s tennis – indefinitely prolonged the ban in opposition to the Croatian coach following an investigation into his alleged mistreatment of Rybakina.

Some suspect deeper points, however Rybakina denied all allegations, saying she by no means complained. With studies consistently fueling new details about the saga, a journalist revealed that the WTA had investigated the difficulty earlier than studies have been filed.

So, Rybakina parted methods with the Croat simply days earlier than the 2024 US Open. In a shock transfer, she later joined Novak Djokovic‘s former coach Goran Ivanisevic for a trial stint. However their partnership fell aside when Rybakina unexpectedly introduced that Vukov would rejoin her teaching workforce. Shocked, Ivanisevic left the camp after her fourth-round exit on the Australian Open.

On the ‘Served with Andy Roddick’ podcast, journalist Jon Wertheim revealed that the WTA despatched officers to monitorRybakina’s on-court interactions with Vukov to research the abuse allegation. “I used to be instructed years in the past that the WTA despatched minders to her matches as a result of they wished to observe simply how harsh this abuse or this teaching was. An investigation was commenced after the report was made. I used to be instructed it was along side Cincinnati,” he mentioned.

Vukov was additionally accused of breaking the WTA’s ‘no contact’ rule by consistently reaching out to her, even after they break up. In the course of the podcast, American Roddick shared situations of when commentators reported the Croat treating the World No. 7 with borderline verbal abuse throughout her matches.

Rybakina is caught up in a messy scenario and performs a significant half in it. She revealed that it was their mutual determination to remain involved, regardless of his ongoing suspension.

Elena Rybakina on Stefano Vukov – “He’s an necessary particular person in my profession”

The findings of the WTA’s investigation of Stefano Vukov’s case are fairly damning. In keeping with studies revealed by the Athletic, a three-page abstract issued to the Croatian coach by the WTA chief govt Porta Archer accuses him of berating Elena Rybakina on a number of events and pushing her past her limits, which finally value the World No. 7 her well being. Regardless, the 25-year-old speaks positively of her ex-coach.

Following her fourth-round win over Rebecca Sramkova en path to the Qatar Open quarterfinal, Rybakina opened up about her shortlived teaching stint with Goran Ivanisevic and in addition reserved a couple of phrases to emphasize the significance of Vukov in her life.

“We simply sat down, we talked, and we determined to go our separate methods. However I feel I discovered so much and it’s not simple to discover a good collaboration,” Rybakina instructed  AFP on Ivanisevic. “He’s (Stefano Vukov’s) an necessary particular person in my profession. We began once I was like 200 (on the planet). So it’s numerous issues, on the court docket, exterior of the court docket, he’s serving to out with,” she added.

Regardless of the regarding updates, Rybakina will look to stay centered on her Qatar Open marketing campaign. She is slated to sq. off in opposition to Polish No. 1 Iga Swiatek for a spot within the final 4 on Thursday, February 13. Let’s hope, Rybakina strikes ahead with the season, leaving the controversy behind!