Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, has insisted that her former coach Stefano Vukov didn’t mistreat her throughout their teaching partnership after it was revealed that Vukov is underneath investigation by the Girls’s Tennis Affiliation.
A WTA spokesperson confirmed this week that Vukov is being investigated for allegedly breaking the WTA’s code of conduct and he’s provisionally suspended from the tour till the investigation has been concluded.
“I can solely say and I mentioned it already earlier than that he by no means mistreated me or it was by no means something like that,” mentioned Rybakina.
Vukov was Rybakina’s first full-time coach and he labored because the Kazakh participant’s main coach for 5 years till they break up in August final 12 months. Rybakina later employed the previous Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic as her new coach and the pair formally started their collaboration in the course of the low season.
The United Cup this week marked their first match collectively. Ivanisevic spent 5 years as Novak Djokovic’s coach till 2024 and Djokovic received 12 of his 24 grand slam titles underneath Ivanisevic’s tutelage.
On Wednesday, Rybakina introduced that Vukov can be returning to her crew instantly however she didn’t specify what his function can be. Vukov is anticipated to be in Australia to accompany her in Melbourne however whereas he’s provisionally suspended, he won’t be permitted to realize accreditation for the Australian Open and enter any of the personal participant areas on-site.
“I’m working with Goran,” mentioned Rybakina. “I’m glad the best way we work now for the couple of weeks. As I additionally mentioned, that Stefano is rejoining the crew as a result of I do know the particular person for six years, and there’s a lot of issues we are able to do exterior of the courtroom too.
“In fact I’m probably not proud of the scenario. I’m not proud of the feedback which I see, particularly from the people who find themselves on the tour. It’s lively coaches, commentators. I don’t suppose that it’s honest.”
Vukov informed The Athletic by textual content this week that he had “undoubtedly by no means abused anybody”
after e-newsletter promotion
Vukov’s teaching fashion has been the topic of criticism from quite a few distinguished figures within the recreation, together with the 22-time doubles grand slam champion Pam Shriver, who at the moment coaches the Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic.
Shriver responded to the information that Vukov can be rejoining his crew with a publish on X: “It’s time for our total sport to lastly stand as much as recognized abuse and cult-like manipulations of gamers,” she wrote. “This can be a very unhappy scenario and my prayers are with ER.”
Rybakina mentioned: “The one factor I can say is, like, he by no means mistreated me. I’ve respect to him for the whole lot he did from the very starting after I was [ranked] 200 all the best way what we did, like, I don’t know. You may identify me different coaches who had the identical success with gamers who’ve been 200 after which successful Grand Slam and being within the high.”
Supply hyperlink
