Andy Roddick Thinks Elena Rybakina Plays ‘Her Best Tennis’ in Coach Stefano Vukov’s Presence

Elena Rybakina is now a two-time Grand Slam champion. On January 31st, the Kazakh ace went past Aryna Sabalenka in three sets to win her first title at the Australian Open.

The first time she made a Grand Slam final was at the 2022 Wimbledon, where she was successful in defeating Ons Jabeur. The following season, she reached the title clash of the Australian Open but failed to go past Sabalenka. Last year, she collected the biggest payday of her career after winning the 2025 WTA Finals by defeating Sabalenka.

All of the aforementioned results, plus her reaching a career-best World No.3, came under the tutelage of coach Stefano Vukov. The Croatian made global headlines at the start of the 2025 season as he was banned by the WTA for one year for breaching its Code of Conduct.

But the WTA overturned the ban after six months following Vukov’s appeal. Rybakina always maintained that Vukov never mistreated her.

She has been working with Vukov since 2019, but before the 2024 US Open, she fired him. The 2022 Wimbledon champion, however, decided to add him to his entourage again at the start of the 2025 season. Because of this decision, Novak Djokovic‘s former coach, Goran Ivanisevic, who joined her team in 2024, left, right after her Australian Open fourth-round defeat.

After her Australian Open win, attention has once again been turned to Vukov, who also received an award after Rybakina’s triumph, and this received mixed reactions from the tennis world. Now Andy Roddick has given his verdict on the Rybakina-Vukov relationship, which was called “toxic” by WTA CEO Portia Archer. Rybakina did not pose for a photo with Archer after winning last year’s WTA Finals.

I guess my point was the conversation [around Rybakina], and rightfully so, based on the last three years, since maybe Rybakina won Wimbledon in 2022, and there’s been a lot of off-court stuff. And by the way, I think it needs saying, and we’ll get back to this point, but like old coach comes back in after being kind of jettisoned, comes back in, and she wins again. Now, I don’t know the dynamics of the interpersonal relationship. What I do know is that her best tennis has been played when Vukov is present.

Andy Roddick said on his Served podcast

Rybakina has improved her head-to-head record over Sabalenka to 7-8. She is also back at her career-best No.3 on the rankings table.

Caroline Wozniacki backs Elena Rybakina to win more Grand Slam titles

Elena Rybakina has so far reached 23 finals and claimed 12 trophies, five of which were Big Titles (two Majors, two WTA 1000s, and one WTA Finals).

In the final in Melbourne versus Aryna Sabalenka, Rybakina’s level dropped in the second set, and she found herself down 0-3 in the third, but she increased her intensity to win five games on the trot to lead 5-4, and on match point, the Ace Queen blasted an ace to deny Sabalenka her third title at Melbourne Park.

Former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki is convinced that if Rybakina stays healthy, she can add more Majors to her trophy cabinet.

If she can stay healthy, she can beat any player out there. I’ve been on the other side of that pace and that heaviness that her ball has, and the cleanliness of those shots; there is no doubt that she’s going to be winning majors if she can stay healthy.

Caroline Wozniacki told ESPN

Both Sabalenka and Rybakina dropped a set for the first time in the tournament in that final. Sabalenka, in fact, lost a set for the first time this season, as before the first Major of the season, she won the Brisbane International without dropping a set.

Also read: Former British No.1 Says Aryna Sabalenka Will Develop Mental Scars from her Grand Slam Final Defeats

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