Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, took to her Instagram story to announce that her former coach , Stefano Vukov, will be rejoining her team for the 2025 season. Rybakina expressed her excitement about Vukov’s return, sharing that she is looking forward to working with him once again. Despite Vukov’s polarizing reputation, the decision marks a new chapter for the player and her coaching staff as they aim for continued success in the upcoming season. Rybakina’s announcement signals her confidence in the partnership and sets the stage for what could be a strong season ahead.

Rybakina Announces Return Of Former Coach Stefano Vukov For 2025 Season

Elena Rybakina made headlines in the early hours of the New Year with the announcement that her former coach, Stefano Vukov, will be rejoining her team for the 2025 season. The 2022 Wimbledon champion shared the news on her Instagram story, expressing her excitement for Vukov’s return ahead of the upcoming tennis season, which has already kicked off. This announcement came just days after Russian tennis media personality Sofya Tartakova reported that Vukov would be traveling to Melbourne on January 4 to support Rybakina during the Australian Open, confirming the partnership for the year ahead.

Rybakina And Vukov Split Before Reuniting For 2025 Season

Elena Rybakina and Stefano Vukov ended their five-year working relationship last summer, just before the US Open. During their partnership, Rybakina achieved significant success, including her first Grand Slam singles title, a runner-up finish at the 2023 Australian Open, and a career-high world No. 3 ranking. However, Vukov’s intense coaching style, characterized by frequent shouting from the stands, drew criticism from fans and coaches, including Hall of Famer Pam Shriver. Despite the backlash, Rybakina had strongly defended Vukov, particularly after his behavior went viral during the 2021 Australian Open. Toward the end of last season, Rybakina announced that she would be working with former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, Novak Djokovic’s ex-coach, but now, she has decided to bring Vukov back into the fold for 2025.

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Shriver Criticizes Rybakina’s Decision To Reunite With Vukov

Following Elena Rybakina’s announcement about reuniting with her former coach, Stefano Vukov, Hall of Famer Pam Shriver, a 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion, expressed her disappointment, calling the reunion “very sad.” Shriver, who has been a strong advocate for safeguarding measures in tennis, has been vocal about preventing abusive and manipulative relationships in the sport. She referenced her own past, where she revealed that she and her late coach, Don Candy, had an inappropriate relationship that began when she was just 17. On X (formerly Twitter), Shriver urged the tennis world to address issues of abuse and manipulation in the sport, stating, “It’s time for our entire sport to finally stand up to known abuse and cult-like manipulations of players.” Meanwhile, Rybakina has had a strong start to the season, representing Kazakhstan in the mixed-gender United Cup, where she has posted an undefeated 4-0 match record and helped lead her team to the semifinals.