“Really looking forward to this partnership” – Rybakina hires Ivanisevic as her new coach

Two former Wimbledon champions are teaming up together for a partnership that no one in the tennis world would have been expecting. Women’s world No 5 Elena Rybakina, who won the Wimbledon title in 2022, has hired Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon men’s champion, as her new coach.

Rybakina confirmed the news in Riyadh where she will compete in the WTA Finals, her first event since the US Open. The Kazakh had split from her coach, Stefano Vukov, just prior to the Grand Slam event and then withdrew prior to her second round match. She has not played on the tour since then due to a back injury.

It has been reported that Rybakina and Ivanisevic will start working together during the off-season. The WTA Finals, the season-ending event for the women, begins tomorrow.

I think he’s A great champion and he has so much experience.

Elena Rybakina on Goran Ivanisevic

“Really looking forward to this partnership. I think he’s a great champion and he has so much experience. I’m really looking forward to start,” Rybakina told the media in Riyadh on Friday. “For me, (it) was important to get better. Of course, with the help of the agents, we connected and just decided to start working. So I’m really looking forward. I definitely wanted to work with him. I’m sure since he said yes, he also, so… It’s just very interesting for me. I want to learn. As we just said, it’s something new for me. Also, I’ve been with one coach for long time. I want to learn. Really happy and we will see what we can do together.”

Ivanisevic most recently worked with Novak Djokovic and the pair went their separate ways in March this year after working together for six years. The Croat had also worked with Marin Cilic prior to joining the Djokovic camp.

Rybakina is known to have one of the best serves in the women’s game currently and her partnership with Ivanisevic, one of the best servers in the history of the sport, will surely be keenly followed in the months to come.

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