“Who you surround yourself with…,” Elena Rybakina shares ‘most difficult’ part of being tennis player

Elena Rybakina hasn't lifted a WTA title since the Stuttgart Open in April last year and recently lost her first match of the Miami Open.

“Who you surround yourself with…,” Elena Rybakina shares ‘most difficult’ part of being tennis player

Elena Rybakina (Image via X/Jimmie48 Photography)

Elena Rybakina shared her perspective of what is the toughest thing a tennis player faces. The Kazakh is dealing with a rough patch and she recently fell to Ashlyn Krueger in her opening-round match at the Miami Open.

For Rybakina, the hardest thing to deal with is failure after expecting incredible results from herself. She also discussed the importance of surrounding herself with the right people.

YouTube video

Well, I think the most difficult is that you expect a lot from yourself. It’s not really the expectations of other people. Then when something doesn’t go your way, you’re getting upset. This is where it’s important who you surround yourself with. You need some kind of support. Someone who can push you. The team who believes in you…family, friends.

Elena Rybakina said on the Tennis Insider Club Podcast

Rybakina is the winner of the 2022 Wimbledon final. She had also reached the final of the 2023 Australian Open but lost the match to World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. Rybakina had a mediocre season last year.

Though she clinched three titles (Brisbane International, Abu Dhabi Open, and the Stuttgart Open), injuries and other health issues often forced her to withdraw from matches. Rybakina, during the aforementioned podcast, said she knows that some days, due to some health reasons, she might not feel better on the court and this is why she wants to keep pushing herself.

Goran Ivanisevic calls Elena Rybakina the best WTA player

Elena Rybakina‘s 2024 season was also marred by the coaching controversy. Before the US Open, she parted ways with coach Stefano Vukov who reportedly had abused and harassed her.

Goran Ivanisevic, Elena Rybakina
Goran Ivanisevic, Elena Rybakina (Images via X/The Tennis Letter)

Rybakina then added Goran Ivanisevic to her entourage. Ivanisevic, that year, had split with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and joined the team of a WTA player for the first time.

Rybakina then shocked the tennis world by re-hiring Vukov. Ivanisevic reportedly was blindsided by Rybakina’s decision and immediately decided to leave her team. After a meeting, Ivanisevic decided to stay in her team and right after her defeat in the Australian Open fourth round to Madison Keys, Ivanisevic left her team.

During a recent interview, Ivanisevic called Rybakina’s situation involving Vukov ‘strange’. The 53-year-old Croatian coach, however, has only good things to say about Rybakina.

She was the best female tennis player in the world to me even before I became her coach. The best, because she plays the most beautiful and simplest game and I really enjoyed the job. I wish her all the best in her career. She will always be in the top five or top ten best female players.

Goran Ivanisevic said on TV Arena Sport

Vukov cannot coach Rybakina as he’s serving a one-year ban. The WTA banned him because he breached the Code of Conduct. As per The Athletic, WTA CEO Portia Archer sent a letter to Vukov, explaining his misconduct toward the 25-year-old, who reportedly is dating him. But Archer dubbed it as a ‘toxic relationship’.

Elena Rybakina is yet to win a title this season

Elena Rybakina started the 2025 season by participating in the United Cup. Following her Australian Open exit, she was defeated by Belinda Bencic in the Abu Dhabi Open fourth round.

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

At the Qatar Open, Rybakina fell to World No.2 Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals; while in Dubai, it was eventual winner Mirra Andreeva who knocked her out of the semifinals. Rybakina then kick-started her Sunshine Double campaign at the Indian Wells and was once again knocked out by the 17-year-old in the fourth round.

Rybakina’s hasn’t yet claimed a title since April last year and also hasn’t reached a final. She will try to end her trophy drought on the clay season next.

Last year on the clay swing, apart from her Stuttgart Open title, Rybakina had also progressed to the Madrid Open semifinal and the French Open quarterfinals. The eight-time WTA titlist has so far advanced to two quarterfinals at the French Open, in 2021 and last year.