A journalist met Stefano Vukov, provisionally suspended by the WTA: "According to him, Rybakina's burnout was not due to an internal conflict".

© AFP

Jules Hypolite

le 06/01/2025 à 21h45

1 min to read

Rybakina

Russian journalist Sofya Tartakova had the opportunity to speak privately with Stefano Vukov, Elena Rybakina's ex-coach and suspended by the WTA following an investigation into a breach of the code of conduct.

Tartakova was able to speak face-to-face with the Croatian coach, who gave her his side of the story: "What did Stefano say? He told me that the news about the WTA suspension is false.

Those are his words, not mine.

He said that he and Rybakina have a good professional relationship. Stefan mentioned that he would be flying to Melbourne on January 4 to support Elena, but that Goran Ivanisevic would remain her coach.

Goran started working with Elena during the preseason. But he has limited availability after Australia, only 12-15 weeks, which is normal.

Vukov also said that his relationship with the player is genuinely warm, describing her as a wonderful person.

Talking about last year, he said he could explain every one of Elena's defeats or absences from tournaments.

According to him, her burnout was not due to an internal conflict. He stressed that their relationship is good, but that she was simply overworked: too many tournaments, too much travel, which exhausted her mentally."