Some coaching partnerships last years, others just months. For Elena Rybakina and Goran Ivanisevic, it was the latter. The 2022 Wimbledon champion and the former Grand Slam winner quietly parted ways after a brief trial period. When? The split came to the fore after Rybakina’s fourth-round loss to eventual Australian Open winner Madison Keys. Ivanisevic confirmed it on Instagram: “After our trial period that finished with the Australian Open, I wish Elena and her team best of luck moving forward.” Elena Rybakina, 2022 Wimbledon winner has her say as well on the split.
Rybakina addressed the speculation surrounding her short-lived partnership with a Grand Slam-winning coach. The trial run had ended swiftly, but not, she insisted, because of any dramatic falling out.”We just sat down, we talked, and we decided to go our separate ways,” she explained. “But I think I learned a lot, and it’s not easy to find a good collaboration.” “It of course takes time and everything but that was our decision. We’ll see how this year goes for me. I’m also not such an easy player maybe like some people think, ‘Oh it’s easy with her’, or something, but it’s not really like this” She further added.
BREAKING:
Elena Rybakina and Goran Ivanisevic have ended their coaching partnership.
“After our trial period that finished with Australian Open, I wish Elena & her team best of luck moving forward.”
(via Goran’s IG) pic.twitter.com/cqe4wRQHrG
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 21, 2025
Elena Rybakina announced Goran Ivanisevic as her coach in November, just after he parted ways with Novak Djokovic a month earlier for the trial period just before the WTA Finals. This was right after Rybakina split from long-time coach Stefano Vukov, just before the US Open. That pairing appeared to be a fine match, two Wimbledon champions, one guiding the other, but it was not long before twists came into the story.
In January, Rybakina made clear that she wanted Vukov back on her team, despite his provisional WTA suspension on misconduct. Ivanisevic expressed surprise and admitted uncertainty about his long-term future with her. Next followed another surprise: Vukov traveled to Melbourne but found his credentials denied, leaving, once again, Rybakina’s camp in disarray.
Fast Forward to February 2025, While Stefano Vukov’s suspension remains unresolved, the Kazakh has now added former Italian player Davide Sanguinetti to her team.
Elena Rybakina hires Davide Sanguinetti amid uncertainty
Elena Rybakina will play in the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open, where she is the top seed and defending champion. The event also has some big names like Belinda Bencic, who got gold in Tokyo in 2021, Paula Badosa, who made it to the semis in Australia, Ons Jabeur, and British wildcard Emma Raducanu. But beyond the battles on the court, Rybakina’s coaching situation has dominated headlines.
Recently, Rybakina has appointed ex-Italian player Davide Sanguinetti as an additional coach. Sanguinetti comes with a resume of working with players such as Vince Spadea, Dinara Safina, and most recently American Brandon Nakashima. For Sanguinetti, he finds himself with some challenges, like supporting Rybakina while she navigates the ongoing uncertainty surrounding her longtime coach, Stefano Vukov who remains suspended by the WTA for alleged breaches of the tour’s code of conduct, a decision Rybakina has publicly criticized.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion says she has received no update on the investigation’s conclusion and believes the situation “was not handled well.”
“I don’t know much. It’s a situation I’m not happy with. But it is what it is but for now I don’t know much,” Rybakina told AFP in Abu Dhabi. “I think safeguarding is important, but the case with what happened with us—I don’t think it was handled well.”
Despite his absence from tournaments, Rybakina continues to communicate with Vukov. “He’s an important person in my career. We started when I was ranked around 200 in the world,” she said. “Of course, it’s not ideal that he cannot be on the practice courts, but we are finding a way with the help of Davide. His opinion matters, and I hope it’s going to work out. We have a good team in the end.”
Rybakina’s next challenge is to build a strong rapport with Sanguinetti while Vukov’s situation unfolds. Will teaming up with Sanguinetti help her keep her edge, or will the ongoing questions about Vukov’s role affect how she plays? The upcoming Abu Dhabi Open might shed some light on these issues.
The post Elena Rybakina Finally Breaks Silence on Split With Novak Djokovic’s Ex-Coach: ‘Decided to Go Our Separate Ways’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.
