“For now, it doesn’t smell good…” Kim Clijsters on Elena Rybakina’s controversial split with her coach Stefano Vukov

Kim Clijsters believes that the finer details of Elena Rybakina's controversial split with her coach Stefano Vukov will come to light soon.

“For now, it doesn’t smell good…” Kim Clijsters on Elena Rybakina’s controversial split with her coach Stefano Vukov

Elena Rybakina, Stefano Vukov

Former World No. 1 Kim Clijsters has stated that the real reason for Elena Rybakina’s split with her coach Stefano Vukov might come to light in due time. Before the US Open, Rybakina took to social media to announce that she had parted ways with longtime coach Vukov.

Rybakina won her opening match in New York, beating Destanee Aiava 6-1, 7-6(1), before announcing her withdrawal from the tournament. While withdrawals were not uncommon, the fact that it was her eighth withdrawal from a tournament in 2024 caught everyone’s attention.

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They have worked together during Rybakina’s rise up the WTA rankings, with her best results being the 2022 Wimbledon Championships title and a runner-up finish at the 2023 Australian Open. Besides Rybakina’s performances, Vukov also made the news for his coaching style, which attracted criticism from fans, former players, and fellow coaches.

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While Rybakina’s split with Vukov just before the season’s final Grand Slam got the tennis community talking, reports of Vukov’s name being removed from the WTA coaches’ list fueled further speculation. Amidst this, former Belgium player Clijsters questioned their split and speculated that there might be more to the issue than what meets the eye.

I think there are certainly other things to discover. He (Vukov) was at the US Open. He had accreditation. He was there. It's a bit strange. Nobody knows more, except maybe some members of the organization. I think we will know more in the future. But for now, it doesn't smell good…
Kim Clijsters said (via welovetennis)
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Elena Rybakina has since also pulled out of the ongoing Korea Open, which only fueled the speculation about what she is going through right now.

Andy Roddick expresses worry for Elena Rybakina, says ‘bad news’ might be coming

Kim Clijsters isn’t the only former player who has wondered about Elena Rybakina’s split with her coach Stefano Vukov. Andy Roddick reflected on the news and said that he felt like “bad news” might be on the horizon.

Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina (via Imago)
There’s a sense of bad news coming, or bad history coming. And I wish I was wrong; it’s just conjecture. It’s just a question out loud; I don’t know.
Andy Roddick said (via welovetennis)

Andy Roddick also heaped praise on Rybakina, calling her the best server on the WTA Tour. The American hoped for the Kazakh star to find her groove and return to action as soon as she could.

What I do know is that she’s an elite player when she’s ready, happy, and focused. For me, the best server on the women’s tour, she can hit all four corners. Her game is very fluid, especially for her size, with movement. I hope she finds her happiness and health on the court sooner rather than later.
Andy Roddick added
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According to widespread reports, Rybakina withdrew from Seoul due to a back injury. She is currently at the No. 3 position in the Race to the WTA Finals and will be hoping to return to action as soon as possible and end the season on a high.