“He abused her mentally” – Barbara Schett on Vukov’s relationship with Elena Rybakina
Vukov’s behaviour towards the Kazakh attracted concern, before recent distressing new details confirmed a toxic relationship between the pair
Federico Pestellini / Bestimage / PsnewZ
Last week, further details about the troubled coaching relationship between Stefano Vukov and Elena Rybakina emerged to unveil one of the more disturbing revelations this sport has confronted in recent years.
Charlie Eccleshare and Matthew Futterman of The Athletic released a lengthy, in-depth and scrupulous recounting of events over the past six months, based on a variety of trusted sources who were close to Rybakina both personally and professionally, as well as accounts from other observers.
The result, frankly, reveals Vukov to be a controlling, obsessive and abusive person whose treatment of Rybakina led to her being physically and mentally unwell on a number of occasions across the course of last year.
“In my opinion, he subjected Elena to complete brainwashing,” Barbara Schett told German sports magazine, Kicker, in a recent interview.
“You can see how he treats her and how he speaks to her. Things escalated at the 2024 US Open and the team and family tried to remove him.
“We know that she has major ups and downs mentally, probably because of him. He definitely abused her mentally and that’s why I think it’s right that he was banned from the WTA.”
Despite this response from the WTA to ban Vukov, denying him the ability to coach or gain accreditation to any formal WTA events for what is reported to be a year, the Croatian’s presence appears to continue to loom large over Rybakina.
The appointment of Davide Sanguinetti as the Kazakh’s new coach – a close personal friend of Vukov – amid recurrent reports that Vukov is still in contact with Rybakina, indicates this is an ongoing and deeply troubling set of events.
“she was brainwashed” – schett on rybakina’s public support for vukov
Despite the growing calls of concern about Vukov from prominent voices in the sport, and his ban by the WTA, Rybakina has repeatedly defended the Croatian, saying she’s been “disappointed” with the way it has all been handled.
“Because she was brainwashed,” was Schett’s explanation when asked about the Kazakh’s public showings of support for Vukov.
“I spoke about the subject for a long time with Goran Ivanisevic. He said the problem is that they are in a private relationship. Vukov wants to sneak in and get his place on the team back. That is obviously a disaster.
“He has to get out of her life after everything he has done. I heard in Australia what he shouted from the players’ box. That is simply not acceptable. That is why I think it is great that the WTA is protecting its players and has drawn consequences.”
fear likely playing a crucial factor
One issue that Schett believes could be exacerbating the problem is a potential fear that other WTA players have in speaking out against Vukov.
“The problem is that many players don’t dare to say anything because they’re afraid of personal consequences,” she explained.
“For example, I was incredibly afraid of Jelena Dokic’s father. I probably would never have said anything because I thought he would kill me. It was perhaps a little different with Dokic than with Rybakina because she was also beaten, but in your mid-20s you may not yet know what’s really going on.
“Maybe you don’t find it as tragic as you do later. But I think that a number of players have already spoken to the WTA about Rybakina and Vukov. It’s important that anonymity is preserved because they’re simply afraid.”
Rybakina is due to play at Indian Wells next month, where she is on a six-match winning streak having won the title in 2023 before missing her title defence last year because of illness – a recurring theme of the Kazakh’s season which has now been attributed, at least in part, to Vukov’s excessive training sessions.
Vukov will not be in her box as his ban remains active, but good friend and loyal confidante of the Croatian, Sanguinetti, will be.
At this critical juncture in such a delicate and distressing set of events, much of what external sporting bodies can do has been done.
A large part of the tennis community’s role now will be to provide ongoing support for Rybakina, continuing to shine a spotlight on developments and – lastly – hoping for the very best for this exceptional but currently very vulnerable young player.
