As the tennis world continues to reel from recent revelations, the saga involving Elena Rybakina and her banned coach Stefano Vukov has taken another dramatic turn. Former doubles world No. 1, Rennae Stubbs, has come forward with claims that Vukov once threatened legal action against her. The reason? She had voiced concerns over his coaching methods, which she described as “very negative.”
The Rybakina-Vukov partnership lasted for over half a decade before it ended in August 2024. Despite the separation, Rybakina announced on the first day of the New Year that Vukov would be rejoining her team. The announcement was met with surprise and speculation, which was further fueled when information about Vukov’s provisional suspension by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) emerged the next day.
The WTA had taken action against Vukov in response to allegations of a breach of their code of conduct. Last week, the association confirmed that Vukov would remain suspended from his coaching duties for Rybakina who won the 2022 Wimbledon title. The Athletic reported that this ban would span a year.
The WTA made it clear that the independent investigation into Vukov’s potential breach of conduct had concluded but did not disclose further details, citing the need to “protect the confidentiality and integrity of the investigation and its findings.” The association emphasized its commitment to handling all matters in a fair and objective manner as per their Code of Conduct.
The Athletic didn’t shy away from shining a light on the more disturbing aspects of the Rybakina-Vukov relationship, revealing allegations of “mental abuse” inflicted on Rybakina by Vukov. The media outlet even cited a letter from the WTA’s chief executive, Portia Archer, in which the relationship was described as “toxic.”
Despite the storm of controversy swirling around her, Rybakina has maintained her public stance, stating that Vukov has never mistreated her. She expressed her disappointment at the coaching ban.
Rennae Stubbs, speaking on her namesake Tennis Podcast, took this opportunity to elaborate on her personal history with Vukov. She claimed that Vukov had targeted her with threats of legal action for comments she had made about him years ago. These comments, which have since been corroborated by others, had led to Vukov’s current ban.
Stubbs said, “He came after me and wanted to sue me, okay, for saying things about him that were true, that have been now investigated for years are now true.” The six-time Grand Slam doubles champion went on to reveal that she had personally witnessed Vukov yelling at Rybakina and had even been interviewed by the WTA about him.
Stubbs clarified that she never accused Vukov of abusing Rybakina but simply criticized his negative coaching style. She speculated on Rybakina’s potential with a more positive guiding influence, saying, “Imagine how good she could be with a really positive coach.” Recalling Vukov’s reaction to her comments, Stubbs said, “And then he actually contacted the WTA and wanted to come after me for making those comments.”
This ongoing saga not only continues to captivate tennis fans worldwide but also raises crucial questions about the nature of coaching relationships in the sport. With the Rybakina-Vukov story still unfolding, it’s clear that the conversation is far from over.
