“Here we go Again” – Tennis Fans in Meltdown Over WTA’s Decision to Lift Suspension on Elena Rybakina’s Coach, Stefano Vukov

Elena Rybakina's former coach Stefano Vukov was handed a one-year ban following an investigation by the WTA for breach of the code of conduct.

“Here we go Again” – Tennis Fans in Meltdown Over WTA’s Decision to Lift Suspension on Elena Rybakina’s Coach, Stefano Vukov

Stefano Vukov, Elena Rybakina (Image via X)

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Elena Rybakina’s former coach Stefano Vukov has been cleared to return to the WTA Tour after successfully appealing his suspension. The controversial Croatian coach had initially been investigated by the WTA and was alleged to have engaged in abuse of authority and abusive conduct with former Wimbledon champion Rybakina.

The WTA then barred Vukov from coaching Rybakina in an official capacity following the investigation into a breach of the code of conduct. However, the whole issue began in August 2024 after the Kazakhstan star parted ways with Vukov just days after withdrawing from the US Open, ending their five-year partnership.

She was away from the court for nearly two months and returned to tour for the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. But before that, she announced the appointment of Novak Djokovic’s ex-coach, Goran Ivanisevic, as her new coach. But before they could kick off their partnership, she surprisingly announced that Vukov was rejoining her coaching team.

That led to the aforementioned investigation by the WTA after rumors of mistreatment. He was handed a one-year ban, which barred him from attending women’s circuit practice court, stadium, and player accommodations, as well as tournament facilities. In June, he finally appealed against the ban.

Vukov’s appeal was successful and his ban has been lifted, which allows him to attend events and also to coach. The WTA also issued a statement on the issue via The Athletic, stressing that the details of the appeal remain confidential:

The WTA is fully committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all athletes and other participants, as set out in our WTA Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Code. Any sanctions issued following a breach of these safeguarding rules are carefully considered and are subject to appeal before an independent tribunal. While case details remain confidential, we can confirm that Mr. Vukov is eligible to receive credentials at WTA events. We will not be commenting further.

Nonetheless, following Ivanisevic’s split with Rybakina, she added Italian coach Davide Sanguinetti into her team. During the French Open, the 26-year-old confirmed that she still works with Vukov outside of tournaments. Also, Sanguinetti confirmed that he’s also in touch with the Croatian coach.

Fans on X react to Stefano Vukov’s successful appeal of his WTA ban

Elena Rybakina has always publicly declared that Stefano Vukov never mistreated her. She also maintained her disappointment with the ban, while also criticizing the WTA for not paying attention to her on the matter. However, the tennis world has since moved on from the issue until Friday, August 8, when the news broke out about Vukov’s successful appeal.

Elena Rybakina, Stefano Vukov
Elena Rybakina, Stefano Vukov (Image via X)

Tennis fans on social media have criticized the WTA for lifting Vukov’s suspension after a successful appeal. Here are some of the reactions on X:

Rybakina won her first title of the season at the Strasbourg Open after struggling with form on the court. But she failed to keep up with the form, losing to Iga Swiatek in the fourth round of the French Open, while ending her grass-court season without being able to reach a semi-final. She kicked off her North American hard-court campaign at the Washington Open, reaching the semi-finals before losing to eventual champion Leylah Fernandez in three sets.

The 26-year-old enjoyed the same run at the Canadian Open before falling to Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko. That has seen her return to the Top 10 of the WTA rankings. She’s set to open her Cincinnati Open campaign against Mexican star Renata Zarazua in the second round after earning a first-round bye.

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