"Elena Rybakina knew Stefano Vukov was suspended and invited him back anyway?" - Fans shocked by WTA ban on coach after unexpected reunion

Elena Rybakina's sudden decision to reappoint Stefano Vukov had already raised eyebrows before the news confirming the Croatian coach serving a suspension meted out by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) emerged. This development added further fuel to the fire of the controversy surrounding the relationship between Rybakina and Vukov and left fans shell-shocked.

Vukov started coaching Rybakina in 2019 and led the Kazakh to all eight of her WTA Tour-level titles so far, including the 2022 Wimbledon Championships title. However, the former World No. 3 announced before the 2024 US Open that she would no longer be working with the Croat.

Rumors soon started swirling, suggesting that the coach had been abusive towards the Kazakh during the tenure of their collaboration. Some reports, unsubstantiated at the time, also hinted at a WTA ban on Vukov.

Surprisingly, on January 1, Rybakina confirmed the return of Vukov to her camp for the 2025 season, but on the very next day, a report published by The Athletic via The New York Times stated that a private WTA investigation is currently ongoing into potential breaches of its Code of Conduct by Vukov. The Croatian coach will have to serve a provisional suspension until the investigation's conclusion.

BREAKING NEWS: The WTA has suspended Stefano Vukov, Elena Rybakina's former coach, while investigating him for breaching its code of conduct. byu/Expensive_Window_538 intennis

Unsurprisingly, the news of Stefano Vukov's ban triggered shockwaves in the tennis fraternity, and fans were bamboozled by the fiasco, with Elena Rybakina herself reportedly being well aware of the investigation. As a result, several fans called the Kazakh out.

"Wait, so Elena knew he was suspended and invited him back on the team anyway?" a fan asked.

"Wooooooow. Seems like Elena tried to sneak him in the backdoor. What a mess," another fan opined.

Some also suggested that Novak Djokovic's ex-coach Goran Ivanisevic, hired by Elena Rybakina as her coach for the 2025 season before Vukov's controversial return, will now be considering leaving the Kazakh's camp. The latest report also states that Ivanisevic's opinion was not taken into consideration by Rybakina before she decided to reappoint Vukov.

"Hey aside from whatever Vukov did/didn’t do, it is absolutely insane that Elena did not tell Goran Ivanisevic that she was also going to bring back her old coach. Guy was coaching Djokovic before this. It’s not like he’s just some schlub," wrote one fan.

"It doesn't make sense for Ivanisevic to stay around if Rybakina and Vukov are doing this. There can't be much trust now," another chimed in.

"So she has been talking to WTA to try remove his suspension, and in an attempt to force it she announced he is back without having WTA’s confirmation that he can coach? I do not see her logic there… Also a risk of ending up with no coach since she was not being transparent with Goran (if i understand the article correctly)," assessed yet another fan.

A few fans were left completely dumbfounded by the development and were unable to make any sense of it. One particular fan tried connecting the dots and concluded that Rybakina's initial decision to dismiss Vukov before the 2024 US Open was a farce, and that the pair split solely due to the WTA's investigation.

"Jesus christ this is a god damn mess," one commented.

"What the hell is actually going on?" asked another fan.

"Wow. So it seems that the decision to fire Vukov last year was not Ryba’s, but rather he was unable to coach her because of the investigation," one weighed in.

The investigation and subsequent provisional suspension are also set to prohibit Stefano Vukov from coaching Elena Rybakina and/or sitting in the Kazakh's box at upcoming events.

Stefano Vukov is not even allowed to accompany Elena Rybakina at practice courts, as per WTA investigation and provisional suspension guidelines

Elena Rybakina (left) and Stefano Vukov (right) (Source: Getty)

As things stand, a WTA credential is out of Stefano Vukov's reach. Additionally, Tennis Australia, the governing body of all tennis events in Australia, including the Australian Open, has decided to not issue an accreditation for Vukov. This effectively means that the Croatian coach cannot enter practice courts.

Vukov will also be unable to take his place in Elena Rybakina's box at upcoming events in Australia. The Kazakh had previously dismissed rumors surrounding her and Vukov's split at a press conference ahead of the 2024 WTA Finals. Pam Shriver, an American former tennis great, has raised concerns about Vukov on multiple occasions, with her latest take coming in the immediate aftermath of the coach's reappointment.

These controversial developments have come at a time when Elena Rybakina is leading Kazakhstan's charge at the ongoing 2025 United Cup. Kazakhstan has already sealed a semifinal spot at the international mixed-team tennis event, spearheaded by Rybakina, who has won all four matches (three singles, one doubles) she has featured in.