Watch: Elena Rybakina says ‘what are you talking about?’ to coach in argument during Miami Open win
Elena Rybakina earned a battling three-set win against Jessica Pegula at the 2026 Miami Open after having a disagreement with her coach Stefano Vukov.
The two-time Grand Slam winner defeated world No 2 Pegula 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals at the WTA 1000 tournament in Florida.
Rybakina has now beaten Pegula five consecutive times and leads the overall head-to-head 6-3. She also downed the 32-year-old American in Indian Wells and at the Australian Open this year.
The world No 2 lost the opening set in convincing fashion after being broken twice, but she did not lose her serve again thereafter, saving three break points in the second set and one in the decider. A single break proved decisive for Rybakina in both the second and third sets.
Before Pegula served for the opening set at 5-2, Rybakina’s coach Vukov could be heard giving her advice by telling her to “grind.”
“lena play tennis play full character”
“…..you see it doesn’t work, what are you talking about?” pic.twitter.com/jATErOXuvT— blaugrana (@gamesetgoal_) March 25, 2026
“Elena, grind tennis. Grind. Full character. Fully grind. Come on, hit the ball,” said Vukov.
A frustrated-looking Rybakina responded by questioning Vukov’s instructions as she walked away from her box: “You see it doesn’t work. What are you talking about?!”
Miami Open News
Elena Rybakina reveals how Aryna Sabalenka matches help ‘improve’ her game
Miami Open: Coco Gauff admits she doubts that she ‘belongs’ in ‘impostor syndrome’ comments
Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.
Vukov is known for his animated and intense coaching style and he frequently delivers tactical instructions and encouragement to Rybakina between points.
This is not the first time Rybakina and Vukov have argued during a match, with the pair having a disagreement before the Kazakh retired mid-match at the Dubai Championships last month.
Why Vukov’s presence as Rybakina’s coach is contentious
Vukov coached Rybakina to her major titles at Wimbledon in 2022 and the 2026 Australian Open, but his presence in her team is controversial given he was suspended for six months last year.
Rybakina started working with Vukov in 2019 and parted ways with the Croatian in August 2024 before the pair reunited at the start of 2025.
In February 2025, the WTA Tour banned Vukov from coaching Rybakina for one year following the conclusion of its investigation into a breach of their code of conduct. The Athletic reported the details of Vukov’s behaviour that led to his suspension.
Vukov was cleared to return to Rybakina’s team in August 2025 after successfully appealing his ban.
What Rybakina said after beating Pegula in Miami
In her on-court interview after her victory over Pegula, Rybakina was asked what is special for her about being in Miami.
“It’s a nice place. Very nice atmosphere. Thank you so much guys for the support,” Rybakina said.
“You can find everything in Miami. For now I was taking it easy. Nothing crazy I will say. Hopefully after the tournament I’ll have a bit more time to enjoy the city more.”
The 26-year-old will face either Aryna Sabalenka or Hailey Baptiste in the semi-finals in Miami.
