Elena Rybakina hires ex-Novak Djokovic coach in major decision after controversial Stefano Vukov exit

Elena Rybakina has hired Goran Ivanisevic, a former Wimbledon champion and Novak Djokovic's ex-coach, as her new head coach. Ivanisevic will replace Stefano Vukov, who parted ways with the Kazakh just a few days before the 2024 US Open.

Elena Rybakina and Stefano Vukov formed one of the most successful partnerships on the current WTA Tour. Their five-year stint saw the Kazakh win her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships and reach the top 3 of the WTA ranking. Rybakina and Vukov's relationship was also filled with controversial moments, and the former finally decided to part ways three days ahead of the 2024 US Open.

Following the second round withdrawal from New York, Rybakina took an extensive break from the tour. She skipped the entire Asian hardcourt swing and headed straight to Riyadh for the WTA Finals. Ahead of the year's last tournament, Rybakina announced that she had filled the vacant head coach position by hiring former ATP World No. 2 Goran Ivanisevic.

"It's going to be Goran Ivanisevic," an excited Rybakina said during her pre-tournament press conference.

Ivanisevic previously worked with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic for six years (2019-2024) and guided the Serb to nine Major, seven Masters 1000s, and two ATP Finals titles. Djokovic and Ivanisevic ended their partnership in March 2024.

The 53-year-old Croat also coached Marin Cilic to his maiden Grand Slam triumph at the 2014 US Open and worked with Tomáš Berdych (2016–2017) and Milos Raonic (2018–2019). Elena Rybakina will be the first WTA assignment for Goran Ivanisevic.

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Goran Ivanisevic will reportedly not be present in Elena Rybakina's box during WTA Finals 2024

WTA Finals 2024 - Previews - Source: Getty

While Elena Rybakina has hired Goran Ivanisevic as her next head coach ahead of the year-end championships, the Croat will not be seen alongside the Kazakh at the tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. According to reports, Rybakina will start working with Ivanisevic during the off-season ahead of the 2025 tour.

The 25-year-old will come to the 2024 WTA Finals without playing tennis for over two months. She is seeded fifth at the tournament and drawn alongside top seed Aryna Sabalenka, Jasmine Paolini, and Zheng Qinwen in the Purple group. Rybakina will take on Paolini in the opening match on November 2.

Rybakina and Paolini have played against each other five times over the last two years, with the Italian leading 3-2 in head-to-head contests. Paolini defeated Rybakina when the two last competed in the quarterfinals of the 2024 French Open.

The Kazakh has played in the WTA Finals two times in the past, bowing out in the group stages in 2022 and 2023. She qualified for the tournament this year after winning three WTA 500 titles (Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, and Stuttgart), two runner-up finishes at WTA 1000 Qatar Open and Miami Open, and a semifinal run at Wimbledon.