Tennis Controversies of the Week: Elena Rybakina's reported association with Stefano Vukov's family concerns community; Iga Swiatek in hot water over behavior toward coach after Dubai exit, and more

Drama unfolded as Elena Rybakina's former coach Stefano Vukov reportedly made his presence felt during Kazakh's Dubai Tennis Championships quarterfinals despite a ban. In other news, Iga Swiatek received criticism for her behavior with her coach after the quarterfinal loss in Dubai.

Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu's coach shared disturbing details about her stalker incident in Dubai. Novak Djokovic-led PTPA accused of bias following the Serb's remarks on Jannik Sinner’s doping case.

Also, Serena Williams addressed criticism following her appearance in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance.

On that note, here's a recap of the top tennis controversies from last week:

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Elena Rybakina's banned ex-coach Stefano Vukov's reported presence at the Dubai Tennis Championships sparked controversy

Elena Rybakina's former coach, Stefano Vukov, caused a stir by making his presence felt during her 6-3, 7-6(2) quarterfinal win over Sofia Kenin at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships, despite being banned by the WTA. Rybakina split with Vukov in August 2024 amid a WTA investigation for Code of Conduct violations but reinstated him last month.

Just a few days ago, the WTA finalized its inquiry, upholding his suspension and extending his ban for a year. Unable to coach Rybakina officially or obtain tournament credentials, Vukov was not present in Dubai. However, his father reportedly attended her match from the stands.

Take a look below at Vukov's father (extreme right):

This sparked confusion and criticism from fans on X. One fan wrote:

"Great performance. I have a few questions. What is Father Vukov's role here? Why does he have to be here? Is he making sure that Lena doesn't run away? What do these psychotic family really want from Lena? Lena has become so isolated that even her own family isn't around."

"Vukov got his daddy showing up as a surrogate since he’s banned??? Nah this is some next-level s*it get that man away from her I’m so serious," another user wrote.

Sixth seed Elena Rybakina advanced to the semifinals where she lost 4-6, 6-4, 3-6 to the 12th seed and eventual champion Mirra Andreeva.

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Iga Swiatek faced backlash for her behavior with coach after Dubai QF defeat

Iga Swiatek faced criticism for refusing to shake hands with coach Wim Fissette after her 3-6, 3-6 quarterfinal defeat to eventual champion Mirra Andreeva at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships.

The five-time Grand Slam winner is still seeking her first title of the 2025 season. Following the match, cameras caught the Polish tennis star dismissing a handshake from Fissette before quickly walking away.

Watch the video here:

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Emma Raducanu’s coach exposed shocking revelations about the Brit's Dubai stalker

Roman Kelecic, a member of Emma Raducanu's coaching team, shared disturbing details about the Brit's stalker, who left her in tears during her 6-7(6), 4-6 second-round loss to 14th seed Karolina Muchova at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

When Muchova led 2-0 in the first set, Raducanu approached the chair umpire before hiding behind her chair, visibly crying. Muchova comforted the British tennis star as police escorted a man from the stands. The WTA later confirmed the stalker was banned from their events and that they were working to ensure Raducanu’s safety.

In a recent interview, Kelecic disclosed that the man had followed Raducanu across multiple tournaments including Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. He also detailed a frightening restaurant incident in Dubai where the stalker obsessively hugged her and refused to leave her alone.

"He (The stalker) approached her, started obsessively hugging her, taking pictures with her, in short, he didn't leave her alone, and then Emma called me in a great panic for help. This was the only moment during the tournament when none of us from the team was with Emma."

He added:

"The most frightening thing about it all is that he was obviously monitoring her movements the whole time and that he had a plan for how and when he would try to get to her," Kelecic told Net.hr.

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PTPA criticized for silence during Tara Moore’s case after Novak Djokovic shared his stance on Jannik Sinner’s doping issue

Novak Djokovic-led Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) faced criticism for staying silent on Tara Moore’s doping case after the Serbian tennis star spoke on Jannik Sinner’s doping verdict. In 2022, Moore was provisionally suspended for a banned substance, but the PTPA made no statement.

However, it later supported Simona Halep after her doping charge, leaving Moore frustrated. She wrote on X:

"Their silence tells you everything."

Sinner was handed a three-month suspension after the ITIA ruled his case as a no-fault violation. WADA initially appealed the decision, but the matter was settled outside of court. During a press conference in Qatar, Djokovic addressed the controversy, criticizing how the situation was handled.

"A majority of the players don’t feel that it’s fair. A majority of the players feel like there is favoritism happening," the Serb said.

"Simona Halep and Tara Moore and some other players that are maybe less known that have been struggling to resolve their cases for years, or have gotten the ban for years," added Djokovic. "There is so much inconsistencies between the cases."

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Serena Williams responded after backlash over her cameo in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance

Tennis legend Serena Williams finally addressed the criticism surrounding her cameo in Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show, days after backlash surfaced. Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, stepped in to defend her. During Lamar's performance of Not Like Us at Super Bowl LIX, Williams made a brief appearance, crip walking on stage.

Williams' act drew criticism, with some calling it "petty" due to the song’s connection to Drake, with whom she was once rumored to have a relationship. Ohanian fiercely defended Williams on social media, posting lengthy responses to those attacking her.

Williams broke her silence with a bold response, making it clear that she had been unwell and busy and had no time for pettiness.

"That there my baby daddy and husband. Always got my back. I Love you 🥰 Gosh I’m so late to the game (I’ve been sick) & busy investing in billion dollar companies and running @WYNbeauty … def not dancing to be petty lol. I think I proved 23 times over (not counting 4 gold medals) that I simply don’t have time for petty. All love and respect always nothing negative here. 🤗" she wrote on X.