Australian Open: Awkward moment as Elena Rybakina’s coach receives trophy and champion alludes to controversy
Elena Rybakina claimed her team had “a lot going on” as she appeared to allude to controversy surrounding coach Stefano Vukov following her Australian Open triumph.
World No 5 Rybakina captured her second Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne on Saturday, battling past world No 1 and title favourite Aryna Sabalenka in a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 triumph inside the Rod Laver Arena.
Victory for the Kazakh saw her end her wait for a second major title, three and a half years after her Wimbledon triumph in 2022, and will see her return to her career-high of world No 3 in the WTA Rankings.
Among those recognised during the trophy ceremony on Saturday night was Rybakina’s coach, Vukov, with the Croatian having also coached the Kazakh to her Wimbledon triumph three years.
As part of a new tradition at the Australian Open, the coach of both the women’s and men’s singles champions will receive a trophy on court.
However, Vukov’s presence in the 26-year-old’s team remains a significant controversy, with the Croatian having been suspended for six months in 2025.
Vukov was provisionally suspended for allegedly breaking the WTA Tour’s Code of Conduct in January 2025, the news emerging after he had returned to Rybakina’s team following a brief split.
He was barred from entering the Australian Open site in 2025 during his provisional suspension, and a year-long ban was then confirmed in February 2025.
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Vukov returned to Rybakina’s on-site entourage in August 2025 after successfully appealing his ban, though he had remained working with the Kazakh outside of tournaments.
The Kazakh’s form has notably improved since the return of Vukov, winning the Ningbo Open and WTA Finals towards the end of 2025, before her triumph in Melbourne on Saturday.
Rybakina has always claimed that Vukov “never mistreated” her, and then claimed after reaching the Australian Open final that his return had been a “big help” for her game.
And, during her champion’s speech inside the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, she appeared to allude to the controversy when thanking her team.
She said: “I would like to say thank you to my team. Without you, it wouldn’t be possible, really.
“We had a lot of things going on, and I’m really glad we achieved this result. Thank you to all of you, and hopefully we can keep going strong this year.”
Vukov’s presence in Rybakina’s entourage remains controversial for some, but victory in Melbourne most likely cements his place in her team for the foreseeable future.
The Kazakh is now the reigning champion at two of the five biggest tournaments in tennis and, with a return to her career-high ranking set for next Monday, appears to be playing some of the best tennis of her career.
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