Written by Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Photo credit: Corleve/Mark Peterson
A high profile encounter will cause a split at the same time, ESPN analyst Rennae Stubbs he predicts.
Last week, Elena Rybakina announced his plan to reunite with the former coach Stefano Vukov as an assistant coach to his new coach, Goran Ivanisevic.
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On the Zoom call with the media today to promote ESPN's Australian Open news starting on Sunday, Stubbs said Tennis Now if Vukov, who is serving a WTA ban that will deny him a certificate for the Australian Open, does indeed return, then coach Goran may leave.
“I think Goran, who is also on the women's side [is interesting]and now he has to deal with this Rybakina situation,” said Stubbs Tennis Now. “And the old coach [coming back]. So I don't know how long Goran will last if that situation will happen.
“You know I hear rumors and I doubt it [Goran] you will stay if that is the case. So we'll see what happens there.”
Exclusive ESPN Australian Open coverage will begin in the US on Saturday, January 11, with a First Round broadcast live at 7 pm ET on ESPN+ and launched at 10 pm ET on ESPN2, two hours before 2024. Combined daily presentations will be available. on ESPN2, with Quarterfinal encore presentations expanded to four hours per day.
After Rybakina's announcement of Vukov's return, Athletic news has emerged that Vukov is serving a suspended sentence that prevents him from obtaining a coaching certificate for this month's Australian Open.
Other coaches and analysts, including Pam Shriver and Stubbs, criticized Vukov for his handling of Rybakina.
World No. 6 Rybakina said that Vukov did not treat her badly—and she also said that she was not happy to see critical comments from other coaches.
“Yes, I'm not happy at all with this situation. I'm not happy with the opinions I see, especially from people on the tour,” said Rybakina to the media at the United Cup in Sydney. “Active coaches, analysts, I don't think it's right.
“Yes, but what I can say is, like, he never treated me badly. I respect him for everything he did from the beginning when I was 200 years old, all the way we did it, like, I don't know. You can name me other coaches who have been successful in the same way with players who have been 200 years old and won the Grand Slam and up.”
