Elena Rybakina & coach Stefano Vukov's partnership defended by ex-World No. 3 after WTA CEO drama despite Croatian's 'mistakes'

Elena Rybakina has become embroiled in drama after her cold-shoulder towards the WTA CEO at the 2025 WTA Finals, which has been linked to her controversial coach Stefano Vukov. However, former World No. 3 Elena Dementieva has voiced support for both Rybakina and Vukov amid the scrutiny.

Rybakina recently won her maiden WTA Finals title after triumphing over Aryna Sabalenka in the final. However, the World No. 5's victory was overshadowed when she refused to pose with WTA CEO Portia Archer during the trophy ceremony. Rybakina's snub was widely perceived as a response to the WTA's decision to ban Vukov earlier this year after a letter from Archer labeled their relationship as "toxic," along with several other alarming claims.

With Elena Rybakina and her coach Stefano Vukov's controversial partnership back in the spotlight, Elena Dementieva explained how "uncomfortable" the situation was for the Kazakh during an appearance on the First & Red talk show.

"This story is actually very old and I thought it was finished a long time ago. It's very controversial because I understand, of course, that Elena Rybakina as a very private person, probably found herself in an extremely uncomfortable situation when the whole world began to discuss her personal and professional relationship with the coach," Dementieva said.

Dementieva felt that the details of Rybakina's earlier decision to split with Vukov should remain private, despite the WTA's investigation and ban, which was later lifted. Instead, the Russian said it was clear the World No. 5 blossomed under Vukov's tutelage, given that she won her maiden Grand Slam title with the 38-year-old by her side.

"As a result, the WTA intervened. They conducted, as they said, their own investigation and based on the results, issued a ban. This means Stefano could not attend tennis tournaments," she said. "This coincided with the fact Elena decided to part ways with her coach. But what happened between them, we do not know, and let it stay between them." "We can only say for certain that Elena and Stefano have opened up, she blossomed as a tennis player. It was with him that she achieved her greatest and most important victories," she added.

Nevertheless, the former World No. 3 conceded that Stefano Vukov had made some mistakes during their partnership and been "overly demanding" on occasion. But Dementieva was of the view that Vukov's intention was only to motivate Elena Rybakina to realize her full potential.

"They started working together when she was in the top 200. He didn't take on a readymade tennis player from the top 10. They have come a very difficult and long way together, both of them for the first time. Elena as a tennis player, he as a coach who got such a talented player for the first time," she said. "I am sure he immediately realized that he had an uncut diamond in front of him, a talent, and he wanted to bring it out," she added. "I admit he made some mistakes along the way. Perhaps he was overly emotional in some places or overly demanding, but it seems to me that this was due to the desire to open her up, to help her."

"Elena Rybakina tried working with others" - Elena Dementieva on whether the Kazakh made the right decision to reunite with Stefano Vukov

Elena Rybakina and coach Stefano Vukov with the WTA Finals trophy - Source: Getty

Elena Dementieva went on to say that unlike more experienced coaches on tour, Elena Rybakina's coach Stefano Vukov's behavior was not motivated by the prospect of bonuses but a desire to see the Kazakh succeed.

"There are quite a lot of coaches on tour who have been there for decades, moving from one player to another and are already tired of tennis. All they care about is whether they will receive bonuses or not after a successful tournament. Here, it is a completely different situation," Dementieva said in the same interview.

The Russian also pointed out that Rybakina tried working with the likes of Goran Ivanisevic and Davide Sanguinetti after ending her partnership with Vukov, but she still chose to reunite with the Croatian. While pondering whether the World No. 5 had made the right decision, Dementieva said that the results spoke for themselves, as she had triumphed at the WTA Finals.

"Yes, perhaps he overdid it somewhere, it was not without reason that she ended her relationship with him. I don't know if it was her personal decision or under public pressure, but she tried working with others. Elena Rybakina had excellent specialists with her, Goran Ivanisevic was with her, Davide Sanguinetti was with her, but she returned to Stefano. To what extent was this a right or wrong decision. In response to all of us, this is the final championship and this is a triumph," she added.

Elena Rybakina herself opened up about her lack of communication with the WTA regarding her coach Stefano Vukov's ban after snubbing the WTA CEO at the year-end championships in Riyadh.

Edited by Urvi Mehra