Elena Rybakina’s banned coach Stefano Vukov gets key verdict after appeal to WTA
Elena Rybakina’s controversial coach Stefano Vukov has been cleared to return to the WTA Tour after successfully appealing his suspension.
The WTA Tour revealed in February that Vukov had been barred from coaching Rybakina in an official capacity following the conclusion of its investigation into a breach of their code of conduct.
Rybakina parted ways with Vukov in August last year, having worked with the Croatian coach since 2019.
The 2022 Wimbledon winner appointed the renowned Goran Ivanisevic as her new coach at the end of the 2024 season, before making the shock announcement on January 1 that Vukov would be re-joining her coaching team for the 2025 campaign.
It emerged in June that Vukov had appealed his one-year ban, which prevented him from attending stadiums, practice courts and player accommodations, as well as other tournament facilities.
In a statement issued to The Athletic, the WTA confirmed that Vukov’s ban had been lifted.
“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,” the statement read.
“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.”
After news of Vukov’s suspension became public in February, The Athletic reported the shocking details of Vukov’s behaviour that led to his suspension.
Portia Archer, the chief executive of the WTA Tour, reportedly informed Rybakina and Vukov of the verdict on January 31 in a three-page summary.
Archer stated that Vukov violated the tour’s code of conduct by calling Rybakina “stupid” and telling the Russian-born star that, without him, she would “still be in Russia picking potatoes.”
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The chief executive revealed investigators had concluded Vukov “had made Rybakina cry, subjected the [then] 25-year-old to mental abuse and pushed her beyond her physical limits, which caused her to become ill.”
Archer also wrote that Vukov had “harassed” Rybakina by refusing to leave her alone during the 2024 US Open in the weeks after their split. In addition, Vukov broke the “no contact” directive that was part of the WTA’s provisional suspension of him.
Rybakina has publicly maintained that Vukov “has never mistreated” her and she repeatedly expressed her disappointment at the ban.
The 26-year-old Kazakh confirmed during the French Open that she and Vukov still worked together outside of tournaments.
She added Italian coach Davide Sanguinetti to her team in February following Vukov’s ban, with Ivanisevic having left his role after the Australian Open amid the Vukov controversy.
“Vukov and Elena are close, he will always be there,” Sanguinetti told La Gazzetta dello Sport in February.
“Stefano and I talk a lot, we are on the same wavelength. It’s not a problem to have two coaches, it’s almost a trend now.”
Rybakina, who lost to Victoria Mboko in the semi-finals in Montreal, will face Renata Zarazua in her first match at the Cincinnati Open.
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