Rybakina Talks About Coaching Situation and “Unfair” Comments from Shriver
Posted by Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday January 11, 2025
Elena Rybakina took questions from the media today and, naturally, most of them were about his training status. The World No.6, who rocked the tennis world by announcing that he would reinstate former coach Stefano Vukov to his team despite hiring Goran Ivanisevic as his coach late last year, offered some clarity on the fluid situation, but not much.
Rybakina, who will face Emerson Jones in his opening match in Melbourne, admitted that the current situation is not good at all. Vukov is currently suspended from the tour, and has yet to qualify for the Australian Open.
Read more: Rybakina in Limbo, as Vukov Faces Suspension from WTA Tour
“It's not an ideal situation at all,” he said. “Like I said, I'm not happy with the whole situation. Especially when other trainers are still making some comments, and people who are not very close to the world of surfing just see the comments and take it and make more of a show out of it.
“I don't think it's right. My goal here is to focus on matches. This is what I will do.”
Rybakina clarified her current situation, saying that Ivanisevic will be with her in Melbourne, and she also revealed that the rumors that Ivanisevic is blindsided by the news that Vukov is about to return to the team are not true.
“We are there, we are working, yes he is,” he said, adding: “As I have said, I will not talk about it too much, since the situation is not very clear on the WTA Tour.”
Rybakina labeled Pam Shriver's comments about the state of her relationship with Vukov as inappropriate and said she had never spoken to the American.
A topic near and dear to the heart of this tale. In 2023 Shriver opened up for the first time about the inappropriate relationship he had with his former coach when he was just 17 years old.
“I don't know him,” Rybakina said of Shriver. “He never came to me. He didn't talk to me. I know his story. It's sad, but it doesn't mean that other players are facing the same problems. He doesn't know me. I don't know him. I don't think it is wrong to make any such comments. Especially being an active coach, analyst, journalist and so on.”
