Sport
Stefano Vukov’s reported fascination with Elena Rybakina comes to light as more details emerge regarding their split
The current issue surrounding former Wimbledon champion and ex-coach Stefano Vukov is far from finished, as new information about their relationship has emerged.
Vukov began coaching Rybakina in 2019, helping the Kazakh star win her first Grand Slam championship at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. However, Rybakina separated from Vukov prior to last year’s US Open, only to announce his return to her camp in January of this year.
WTA suspends Vukov from coaching for code of conduct violations
The Athletic published a piece that outlined what happened following Vukov’s dismissal last summer. A member of Rybakina’s team informed Vukov over the next two days in New York in August that he had been removed as her coach and should leave her alone.
However, the 37-year-old Croatian coach walked the lobby of her hotel, flooding her phone with text messages and more than 100 calls — according to sources with personal and professional relationships with Rybakina who were present at the hotel — as he sought another chance to convince Rybakina that her tennis career could not thrive without him.
His actions pushed some members of Rybakina’s inner circle to tell WTA Tour officials that they feared for the safety of the Kazakhstani player, those sources say. This prompted the WTA, which had already received multiple complaints from observers about Vukov’s behavior as a coach, to open an independent investigation into him and provisionally suspend Vukov from coaching and from obtaining WTA credentials to tennis events.
On Jan. 31, WTA chief executive Portia Archer informed Vukov and Rybakina of the investigation’s conclusions. Having violated the WTA Tour’s code of conduct, Vukov was banned from coaching for one year, and required to take classes in appropriate coaching behavior. Vukov has denied any wrongdoing and is considering an appeal, which he must submit by Feb. 21. Meanwhile, Rybakina added Davide Sanguinetti to her coaching staff, and has been working with the Italian coach since her loss at the 2025 Australian Open.
