Australian Open 2025: Elena Rybakina says she has never complained about Stefano Vukov's behaviour
2025-01-11
Category: sports

Australian Open 2025Dates: 12-26 January Venue: Melbourne ParkCoverage: Live radio commentary on Tennis Breakfast from 07:00 GMT on BBC 5 Sports Extra, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app
World number six Elena Rybakina says she never made "any complaints" about her former coach Stefano Vukov.The 2022 Wimbledon champion wants to bring Vukov back into her team but the Croat has been provisionally suspended by the WTA while an investigation into his conduct towards the player continues."I don't agree with a lot of things the WTA do in the sense of my relationship with Stefano," said Rybakina.The provisional suspension means Vukov, who denies any wrongdoing, has not received accreditation for the opening Grand Slam of the season.Rybakina, 25, announced last week she wants Vukov to work with her again.She worked with him from being a teenager and he helped claim her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon, but the partnership ended before last year's US Open.She appointed Goran Ivanisevic as her new coach on a trial basis until the end of the Australian Open, which starts on Sunday.
It is not known exactly which part of the WTA's Code of Conduct Vukov, 37, is alleged to have broken.Concerns have been raised over the past few seasons by some, including coach and commentator Pam Shriver, about Vukov's behaviour towards Rybakina.The manner in which he spoke to her - on and off court at tournaments - has come under scrutiny."As I said before, I have never made any complaints or any of these things," added Rybakina, who is among the favourites to win the women's singles title in Melbourne."I always said that he never mistreated me. That's one thing."Since this situation how it is now, I don't really want to speak about this more. I want to focus on my matches here."Sixth seed Rybakina, runner-up in Melbourne two years ago, begins her campaign against Australian teenager Emerson Jones.