"I'm just disappointed" - Elena Rybakina refuses to comment on coach Stefano Vukov's suspension after WTA investigation

Elena Rybakina spoke up about coach Stefano Vukov's ban after the WTA decided to uphold the suspension following a thorough investigation. The Croat was initially suspended provisionally at the start of the WTA's investigation into the Croatian's alleged breaches of the women's tennis governing body's Code of Conduct.

Rybakina, who repeatedly maintained previously that Vukov hadn't mistreated him, expressed her disappointment at the WTA's decision following her third-round win over Rebecca Sramkova at the ongoing Qatar Open.

"Well, I'm just disappointed with the situation and how the process went. I'm not going to comment much on that any more," Rybakina said.

The findings of the WTA's investigation into the allegations against Elena Rybakina's coach Stefano Vukov are damning. According to a three-page summary issued to the Croat by WTA chief executive Portia Archer, Vukov berated Rybakina on multiple occasions, mentally abused her, pushed her to her physical limits leading to the Kazakh falling ill, and refused to leave the World No. 7 alone at the 2024 US Open.

The 2022 Wimbledon Championships winner confirmed ahead of the 2024 US Open that she would no longer be working with Vukov. Rybakina had also roped in Goran Ivanisevic as her new coach for the 2025 season. However, bizarrely, she announced at the start of the year that Vukov would be roped back into her coaching setup, stirring controversy.

These developments prompted the WTA to make the news of the former player's provisional suspension public. Rybakina and Ivanisevic eventually parted ways after the Kazakh's Australian Open exit.

In the aftermath of the split, the 25-year-old explained that it was a mutual decision, adding that she was in touch with Vukov despite his suspension.

"Stefano Vukov's an important person in my career" - Elena Rybakina

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

Elena Rybakina suffered a fourth-round loss to eventual champion Madison Keys at the 2025 Australian Open and shortly after her exit from Melbourne, Ivanisevic left the Kazakh's camp. Later, ahead of her Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open campaign, Rybakina spoke up about her short-lived collaboration with Ivanisevic and contact with Vukov.

"We just sat down, we talked, and we decided to go our separate ways. But I think I learned a lot and it’s not easy to find a good collaboration," Rybakina told AFP.

"He’s (Stefano Vukov's) an important person in my career. We started when I was like 200 (in the world). So it's a lot of things, on the court, outside of the court, he’s helping out with," she added.

Meanwhile, Vukov maintained his innocence in a brief communication with The Athletic. The length of the Croat's ban has not been confirmed by the WTA.