Rybakina brings Vukov back into her team even as WTA confirms his provisional suspension

The WTA Tour confirms that Vukov is under investigation for a potential breach of the tour’s Code of Conduct

Elena Rybakina and Stefano Vukov, 2022 | © AI / Reuters / Panoramic

January 3, 2025

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has announced that former coach Stefan Vukov, with whom she split last August, will rejoin her team even as the WTA Tour confirmed that the Croatian tennis coach has been provisionally suspended due to a potential breach of the tour’s Code of Conduct.

The story unfolded when Rybakina, currently playing the United Cup in Australia, posted an update on social media in which she said Vukov, with whom she worked for five years prior to the split, will be back in her team for the 2025 season.

“Hello everyone, I am excited to announce that Stefano will be joining the team for the 2025 season. Thank you all for the support. And wishing you a great 2025,” Rybakina said.

The Kazakh has already hired Goran Ivanisevic, the former coach of Novak Djokovic and a former Wimbledon champion himself, to her team in November and the pair have worked together during the off-season. Ivanisevic was seen in Rybakina’s box during the United Cup and it remains unclear as to how Rybakina’s latest announcement will impact his role in the team.

Soon after Rybakina’s post, the WTA Tour confirmed that Vukov is under investigation by an independent organization and has been provisionally suspended. While the provisional suspension is in force, Vukov would not get a credential for a professional tennis event or access to practice courts.

According to a report in The Athletic, Vukov has denied breaching the WTA’s code or that he has been abusive towards Rybakina, who has supported his statements.

“The WTA can confirm that Stefano Vukov is currently under a provisional suspension pending an independent investigation into a potential breach of the WTA Code of Conduct,” a WTA spokesperson said in a statement. “As part of the provisional suspension, Mr. Vukov is not eligible to obtain a WTA credential at this time. While the WTA does not typically comment on active investigations, we believe it is necessary to clarify this matter due to recent public statements that misrepresent the situation. We will not provide further details at this point in time.”