Elena Rybakina’s coach Stefano Vukov created a ‘toxic environment’ and ‘should be banned for life’
Stefano Vukov should not be allowed “to work with any girl because of his tendency”, according to former doubles world No 1 Rennae Stubbs as she called for a lifetime ban from women’s tennis following the recent WTA findings into his behaviour towards Elena Rybakina.
The Croatian coach’s conduct first made headlines at the 2024 Australian Open when he came under fire for the way he talked to Rybakina with several high-profile tennis figures – including Stubbs and former Wimbledon winner Marion Bartoli – criticising him.
Rybakina defended Vukov after a storm erupted on social media, but in August last year it was announced that she parted company with him and it later emerged the WTA provisionally suspended him for a breach of their code of conduct.
The 2022 Wimbledon winner then started working with the Goran Ivanisevic during the off-season, but ahead of this year’s Australian Open it was announced that Vukov had returned as her coach.
Not long after Ivanisevic announced that his agreement with Rybakina had come to an end and earlier this week the WTA confirmed that their investigation into Vukov’s behaviour had been completed and the ban would remain in place.
It has since emerged that his suspension is only a year long while some details of the nature of their relationship have also made it into the public space.
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Vukov is reported to have called Rybakina “stupid” and told her that without him she would ‘still be in Russia picking potatoes”.
Four-times women’s doubles Grand Slam winner Stubbs made it clear how she felt about Vukov’s ban.
“Look, some of us know a lot more than others. I clearly was around this toxic environment with him and her quite often,” she said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.
“I have spoken about it on the podcast many times and you know people did say that well it’s her decision. Yes, it is her decision but you know there are a lot of cohesive controlled relationships that get really toxic and really bad and do I think that she is in an environment that is not healthy for her? Absolutely! There’s no question about it.
“You don’t see her coach Goran Ivanisevic decide after this time, even though he enjoyed working with her, say ‘I’m outta here’ because he’s clearly saying stuff that he’s not okay with them too.
“But also the fitness trainer [Azuz Simsich], you know who’s been there for a long long time… And he’s gone as well. When you have the information that they have, there are clearly people in her camp or around her to say the things that have been said about what he has said and what he has done to her.
“In that respect, that is her work environment saying ‘sorry this is unacceptable, you are banned for a year’ and quite honestly I think he should be banned forever on the WTA Tour.
“He should not be allowed to be able to come on the tour and work with any girl because that’s his tendency, particularly when you have someone as lovely and as nice and as great a player as Elena.
“I think it is a really great move, but what is she going to do about it personally, again, now that is her decision.”
