Elena Rybakina's ex-coach Goran Ivanisevic makes big confession about working with Kazakh

Elena Rybakina's former coach Goran Ivanisevic made a startling confession about his time working with the Kazakh star. He admitted the situation was so chaotic that he had to remove himself from it as quickly as possible.

After parting ways with Novak Djokovic in March 2024, Goran Ivanisevic took nearly a year before returning to coaching, joining Elena Rybakina’s team at the Australian Open as a replacement for her banned coach, Stefano Vukov. However, the partnership was short-lived, as Ivanisevic stepped away from the team shortly after the Slam concluded.

Now, veteran Croatian coach has given an explosive interview to Serbia's Sport Klub, revealing behind-the-scenes details from his brief stint with the former Wimbledon champion. He said (translated from Serbian via @sebsharfam2 on X):

"I rested just fine for 9 months. I put a finger up my a**. I got a tennis player who is the first favorite at Wimbledon, who can win the GS. Then I got out of that situation, rested for four months and then I got into a good situation again. I began to think that something was wrong with me. Or people think that I am the one who solves these problems."

Following his stint with Elena Rybakina, Goran Ivanisevic took a four-month break from coaching before joining Stefanos Tsitsipas' team.

---

Not only Elena Rybakina, but Stefanos Tsitsipas also comes under fire from coach Goran Ivanisevic

Stefanos Tsitsipas pictured with Goran Ivanisevic at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships | Image Source: Getty

Goran Ivanisevic and Stefanos Tsitsipas teamed up for the first time at a Grand Slam during the 2025 French Open, but things didn’t go as planned, with Tsitsipas exiting in the second round. His struggles continued at Wimbledon, where he was forced to retire mid-match in the opening round due to lower back problems.

In the same interview with Sport Klub, Ivanisevic didn’t hold back when criticizing Tsitsipas. He said that while the World No. 26 has the desire to achieve great things, he lacks the initiative to back it up. Ivanisevic also took aim at Tsitsipas’ fitness, suggesting it’s nowhere near where it needs to be.

“The desire is there, but he does nothing to improve things,” the former Wimbledon champion said. “At least I can not notice his effort. Stefanos has to find a solution for his troubled back. I have never seen a more unprepared player in my life!”

He added:

“At my age and with the state of my knee, I'm in thrice better shape than him. I'm not sure what he has done in the previous 12 months, but his current shape is very poor.”

While Tsitsipas’ Wimbledon campaign ended early, Elena Rybakina has advanced to the third round, where she is set to face Clara Tauson on Saturday, July 5.