"Incredibly irresponsible and a dangerous precedent" - Fans furious as WTA lifts Elena Rybakina's coach Stefano Vukov's suspension

Fans recently reacted to Elena Rybakina's coach Stefano Vukov's suspension being lifted. Vukov was suspended in January this year for a potential breach of the WTA code of conduct. Although the details of the breach were not disclosed by the WTA in the public domain, they were related to a potential violation of the safeguarding rules of the Association.

However, the women’s tennis governing body lifted the suspension on Friday, stating he would be permitted to receive credentials to player areas and practice courts at its events. The suspension was revoked after he reportedly appealed the suspension in June this year.

Rybakina cut ties with Vukov in August 2024, ahead of the US Open Championships. However, before the Australian Open, she announced that the two would reunite. She has firmly maintained her stand that Vukov never mistreated her.

As the two are poised to appear together, tennis fans took a dig at the WTA, with one of them even referring to the WTA's decision as careless.

"Incredibly irresponsible from the WTA and a dangerous precedent to be setting overall," wrote a fan.

Another fan hoped for Rybakina's success under Vukov's guidance, highlighting that the coach would be closely monitored.

"I hope the things go a head in the right direction for her," another fan chimed in. "This time all the eyes will be on Vukov, any kind of verbal abuse will be watch for the WTA and everybody."

One of the fans took a swipe at WTA for ignoring its responsibility towards players.

"Ugh – once again the Tour fails in its duty of care."

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

"If she’s cares about her career he should be sacked."

"Sad to see how powerless WTA is ..."

"He is going to destroy her career more than now."

Elena Rybakina and Stefano Vukov will be seen together at the 2025 Cincinnati Open.

"I have never made any complaints" - Elena Rybakina rejects claims of Stefano Vukov abusing her

Elena Rybakina and coach Stefano Vukov at Roland Garros in Paris, France. (Photo via Getty Images)

Despite WTA's findings, Elena Rybakina has rejected the claims of Stefano Vukov abusing her, stating he "never mistreated" her. During a press conference ahead of the 2025 Australian Open, the World No. 11 disagreed with the WTA's actions regarding her relationship with Vukov.

"Well, first of all, like with the whole situation, I don't want to speak much about what's going to be next. But definitely, as I said before, I don't agree with a lot of things what WTA do in the sense of my relationship with Stefano," Rybakina said. (via bbc.com)

"As I said before, I have never made any complaints or any of these things. I always said that he never mistreated me," she added.

Elena Rybakina recently reached the semifinals of the National Bank Open before losing to the Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko.

About the author

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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Edited by Mitali