"Elena Rybakina can sleep with whoever... But this crossed the line" - Tennis insider gives verdict on Stefano Vukov controversy amid romance rumors

Tennis insider Jon Wertheim has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Elena Rybakina and her former coach Stefano Vukov following the WTA’s decision to impose a one-year suspension on him. The situation has drawn significant attention also due to ongoing speculation about a personal relationship between the two.

A major ongoing controversy in the WTA has been around Rybakina and her former coach Vukov. Most recently, the WTA has concluded their investigation and decided to uphold the suspension, which was initially a provisional suspension, on the Croatian coach.

The ban has sparked widespread debate, especially given Rybakina’s strong opposition to the ruling. Adding further complexity to the situation are ongoing rumors about a personal relationship between the former Wimbledon champion and her now-banned coach.

Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim recently appeared on Andy Roddick's podcast and shared his verdict on the situation calling it "messy business."

"There was this provisional suspension, now it's been converted into what I've been told is a year suspension. It's really messy business, especially because, as you referenced, there does seem to be a personal relationship that had long been rumored," Wertheim said (at 6:00)

While the WTA has not publicly detailed its reasons for banning Vukov, various reports suggest that the decision was based on concerns about his conduct toward Rybakina. However, the Kazakh star has remained steadfast in her defense of her former coach.

Despite her stance, Wertheim emphasized that this situation is not just about a personal relationship, stating:

"She's a grown woman, she has agency, she has choice, she can hire whoever she wants, she can sleep with whoever she wants. But read that report. I would urge people to read the reporting of Matt Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare. It's really disturbing."

"This is not just, 'Hey, the coach got in her face, and every coach is different.' This really crossed the line. I just think it's a little bit problematic that the player herself does not seem to be on board with this—quite the contrary," he added

Wertheim also believes that such a decisive action from the WTA is rare, making it clear that the organization believes the issue extends beyond standard player-coach dynamics.

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Elena Rybakina expressed disappointment about her former coach Stefano Vukov's ban but refused to open up further

Elena Rybakina at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open - Source: Getty

Elena Rybakina was participating at the Qatar Open when the WTA released their recent statement regarding her former coach Stefano Vukov. During a media interaction after the announcement, Rybakina was asked about the situation.

"Well, I'm just disappointed with the situation and how the process went. I'm not going to comment much on that any more,” Elena Rybakina told the media in Doha.

As far as tennis is concerned, the Kazakh is set to play Iga Swiatek next in the quarterfinals at the Qatar Open. This will be their eighth battle on the WTA Tour, with Rybakina currently leading their head-to-head 4-3. Whoever wins, will take on either Ons Jabeur or Jelena Ostapenko in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 event.