By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday January 1, 2025
Elena Rybakina added the former coach Stefano Vukov on her practice squad — again.
The news was announced by the 2022 Wimbledon champion on her Instagram. Rybakina, who ended a five-year partnership with Vukov last August, had recently hired Goran Ivanisevic as her coach, shortly before the end of the 2024 season.
Read more: Rybakina responds to criticism of coach Stefano Vukov
It is said that Vukov will work as an assistant alongside Ivanisevic.
Stefano Vukov will join Elena Rybakina’s team, along with coach Goran Ivanisevic, for 2025. pic.twitter.com/J95PzHlSfX
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) January 2, 2025
Rybakina and Vukov had tremendous success together, but not without some turmoil. Vukov was sometimes criticized for his fiery temper and the way he sometimes treated Rybakina during matches and practices. Hall of Famer Pam Shriver speculated that the pair’s relationship was unhealthy, but Rybakina dismissed those claims with a staunch defense of her coach.
Elena Rybakina reunites with former coach Stefano Vukov ahead of the 2025 Australian Open.Goran Ivanisevic will remain the head coach of Rybakina 💪#TCLive pic.twitter.com/0x8ttxiLMk
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) January 2, 2025
Shriver called the news a “sad situation” when it was announced at X earlier Thursday
Rybakina is off to a fast start in 2024. She has led Kazakhstan to the semi-finals of the United Cup, winning all four of her matches.
