Elena Rybakina making a new addition to her team while controversially working with her former coach Stefano Vukov has sparked discussions among tennis fans. Vukov is currently facing a provisional ban by the WTA over a possible breach of the tour’s Code of Conduct.

Rybakina initially parted ways with the 37-year-old ahead of the 2024 US Open. Their partnership was marred with controversies due to the Croat coach’s intense and harsh methods. She then brought Goran Ivanisevic on board in a blockbuster move but shocked the tennis fraternity by adding Stefano Vukov back to her team, a move which was not well received.

After what was an underwhelming Australian Open campaign, Ivanisevic and Rybakina parted ways following which she has added Davide Sanguinneti to her team ahead of the Abu Dhabi Open. The former Italian professional player has coached Dinara Safina and is currently working with Brandon Nakashima.

“We are working with Davide. We just did one week of preparation with him and Stefano, a little bit. I knew him a little bit from before. So yeah, he was actually available. Sometimes, we would speak with Stefano since they know each other, and yeah, we’ll see how it goes. For now, I’m happy with the way we worked this week, and hopefully, it goes well for us,” Elena Rybakina said.

Fans on X (formerly Twitter) expressed disappointment with Vukov’s involvement. One fan mentioned how Vukov’s involvement in Rybakina’s tennis led to Ivanisevic’s departure.

“Lena is very talented and there is no doubt that she has everything to be ranked 01, but the management of her team has been a disaster; having Vukov as a hidden coach is not ethical for any professional, that is why Goran left her,” the fan said.

Another fan opined,

“This girl is exhibiting withdrawal symptoms. To end things with Goran, in lieu of a maniac is just an addict behaviour,” the fan opined.

Here are some other reactions from tennis fans.

“Elena Rybakina please leave this Vukov business and concentrate on your career,you had hired Goran a good coach and now he is gone just of you obsessed with Vukov,” a fan pleaded.

“Rybakina does not look well,” a fan felt.

“At this point, I think we should all just mind our business and let Elena do whatever she wants to with her life and career. I mean, I wish she would have kept Goran with his success on the tour and coaching but obviously some reason Elena decided he wasn’t for her,” a fan said.

“I just want her to be happy,” a fan stated.

“I don’t think it was handled well” – Elena Rybakina on how the WTA are dealing with Stefano Vukov’s ban

During the above conversation, Elena Rybakina revealed that she hadn’t been given a date to tell when Stefano Vukov’s issue would be resolved. She understood that it was necessary to protect the players but didn’t feel that her side of the story was being heard.

“I think safeguarding is important but the case with what happened with us I don’t think it was handled well. In the end of the day, I think you need to listen to the player, that’s the most important,” the Kazakh said.

Elena Rybakina will look to put her sole focus into tennis as she gears up to defend her title at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Open, where she is the top seed. She will enter the tournament, having won six out of eight matches so far. Before enduring a fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, Rybakina helped Kazakhstan reach the semifinals of the United Cup, where they lost to Poland.

She is joined by last year’s runner-up Daria Kasatkina, Ons Jabeur, Jelena Ostapenko, Paula Badosa, and others. The Kazakh has received a bye to the second round of the WTA 500 event by virtue of her seeding. Here, she will face either Sonay Kartal or Katie Volynets.

While the World No. 6 hasn’t played Sonay Kartal before, she did face Katie Volynets in the second round of the 2022 French Open and thrashed the American 6-4, 6-0 to reach the third round of the clay-court Major, where she lost to Madison Keys.