Renowned American Journalist Makes Elena Rybakina Awkward by Unnecessarily Pressing Her with Stefano Vukov Questions

Elena Rybakina has started her bid for her first French Open title and will meet Jelena Ostapenko in the third round.

Renowned American Journalist Makes Elena Rybakina Awkward by Unnecessarily Pressing Her with Stefano Vukov Questions

Stefano Vukov, Elena Rybakina (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

Although Stefano Vukov is banned on the WTA tour, he is still coaching Elena Rybakina, though not during tournaments. Rybakina, after breezing past Iva Jovic in the French Open second round, talked about her work method with Vukov.

The Kazakh ace arrived in Paris on the back of a successful run last week in Strasbourg where she went past Liudmila Samsonova to lift her first title of the season. The start of the season, however, was marred by the controversy involving Vukov, who eventually faced a ban due to accusations of harassing Rybakina and engaging in harsh behavior that exacerbated her illness.

His conduct toward her was considered the reason behind her slump in form and her mid-match retirement last year. The 25-year-old, however, has always maintained that he never mistreated her and didn’t support WTA’s ban on him.

Following her second-round win, Rybakina was asked by renowned American journalist Ben Rothenberg whether she was able to find courts in Paris to work with Vukov, given that he’s not allowed to enter the Roland Garros. Rybakina said they only work when she’s not playing a tournament.

We usually train together between tournaments, not when the tournament is on.

Elena Rybakina said

Rybakina had parted ways with Vukov just before the US Open last year and hired Novak Djokovic‘s former coach Goran Ivanisevic. But the partnership didn’t last for long as right after her Australian Open exit this year, Ivanisevic left her team, because he reportedly was blindsided by Rybakina’s decision to re-hire Vukov.

Elena Rybakina is confident about playing consistent tennis this year

Elena Rybakina reached four finals last year, winning two titles: in Abu Dhabi and Stuttgart. But as the year progressed, she suffered from a slump in her form and her early round exit, plus mid-match retirements, became a common sight.

Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina (Image via X/#AusOpen)

She carried that poor form this season as well as during the start of it, she failed to reach a final and was unsuccessful in winning more than a match in the two WTA 1000 events she played in Madrid and Rome. After finally ending her trophy drought in Strasbourg, Rybakina is confident that she will be able to produce consistent results for the rest of the season.

This is definitely not the start of the season I used to have before. Normally, after pre-season, I’d play very well. This time it’s been different. Last year, I missed the end of the entire season. It takes time to get back to where I want to be, but little by little, I think we’re heading in the right direction, working on practically everything to improve every day.

Elena Rybakina said at the press conference

Rybakina will next be locking horns with Jelena Ostapenko, against whom she edges 3-2 in the head-to-head encounter. Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, was defeated in the lone clay-court match they played against each other at the 2023 Italian Open. Before setting up the clash with the 2022 Wimbledon champion, Ostapenko knocked out America’s Caroline Dolehide.

Rybakina’s best performance at the French Open came in 2021 and 2024 when she made it to the quarterfinals. Last year, eventual runner-up Jasmine Paolini ended her campaign. Rybakina is the winner of four clay-court titles.

The winner of the Rybakina-Ostapenko match could set up a blockbuster fourth-round clash with three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek. Swiatek holds a 4-4 head-to-head record with Rybakina, but against the Latvian ace, she surprisingly hasn’t yet won a match in their six encounters.

Rybakina could meet Paolini again in the quarterfinal, while in the semifinals, she could run into World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. She is projected to meet Coco Gauff or Mirra Andreeva in the final.

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