Elena Rybakina ended her season with a moment she’ll never forget. In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the 25-year-old stunned World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6(0) to win the WTA Finals. By going undefeated through the eight-woman event, Rybakina took home a record $5.23 million. However, what was interesting was not only the trophy or the money; it was what followed. During her victory speech, Rybakina offered a moving tribute to those who helped her achieve her success, in particular, her long-time coach, Stefano Vukov.

As Elena Rybakina started, “Thank you so much, it’s been an incredible week,” she began, smiling and a bit blushing through disbelief. “I honestly didn’t expect any results to go so far I mean, it’s just incredible. And I want to congratulate you ( Aryna Sabalenka) also for the No. 1 for the second year in a row. It’s an amazing achievement, it’s incredible. Congrats to you and your team.” Her words showed sportsmanship but there was more emotion waiting just beneath the surface.

Soon, Rybakina turned truly emotional. “I would like to say thank you to the fans, to the crowd it was really amazing to be here. Thank you so much.. I would like to thank my team Stefano, who is always pushing me, helping me improve; my physio, always trying to make me healthier whenever possible; and the president of the Kazakhstan Federation, Mr. Vladimir, thank you so much for coming and supporting. It’s an honor to see you here.” The moment carried extra meaning.

For Elena Rybakina, Stefano Vukov has been more than a coach. She hired him in 2019, and under his guidance, she climbed the rankings and won Wimbledon in 2022. But their journey wasn’t without hurdles. In August 2024, just before the US Open, she announced they were splitting as head coach and player. Then, in early 2025, Vukov was provisionally suspended by the WTA pending an investigation into a potential breach of the WTA code of conduct.

The WTA said, “The independent investigation into a potential breach of the WTA code of conduct by Stefano Vukov has concluded. Following this process, the suspension remains in place. To protect confidentiality and integrity, no further details will be provided.” Despite the controversy, Rybakina defended her coach publicly. She insisted Vukov “never mistreated me” and disagreed with any comments suggesting otherwise. By August 2025, after appealing the decision, Vukov’s ban was lifted, and he rejoined her team at the Cincinnati Open in some capacity.

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A few months later, Elena Rybakina returned to the top of the standings, taking the WTA Finals and showing her gratitude to the same man who led her to the next level. However, even though she worked with him without a single complaint over the years, there were some questions swirling around: who was it who filed a complaint against Stefano Vukov? Or was it Rybakina herself who was guarding her coach? There were rumors and speculations that hinted at reasons outside the court.

Elena Rybakina stands by Vukov despite rumors

Elena Rybakina publicly clarified that she had never filed a complaint against Vukov. She defended him, saying he “never mistreated me” and criticized the WTA’s handling of the situation as “unfair.” Meanwhile, rumors began circulating that Rybakina and Vukov were involved in an alleged romantic relationship. Anonymous sources and social media reported that they had shared hotel rooms together during tournaments, and that they had become strangely reliant on one another, some referring to their dynamic as an “unhealthy” relationship between a player and a coach.

The WTA neither proved nor disproved these rumors, and the story remained a mystery. To make matters even stranger, Rybakina signed Goran Ivanisevic as her coach in the 2025 season.  Rybakina reportedly discussed the situation with Goran Ivanisevic, who observed, “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.”

After a disappointing Australian Open, Ivanisevic stepped down. Rybakina then appointed Davide Sanguinetti, a close friend of Vukov, as her new head coach. After being suspended in August 2025, Vukov still returned to the team in some capacity. This move indicated that, regardless of the scandal and gossip, Vukov continued to play an important role in her professional life.

Well-known tennis commentators, such as Barbara Schett, openly theorized about Elena Rybakina publicly defending Vukov. Schett proposed that it was possible that Rybakina was somehow “brainwashed,” given their strong friendship, coupled with the suggestion that Vukov wanted to be back on the team, which was a component of a complex relationship. Rybakina continued to defend him even in the face of continuous public pressure and unease in the tennis community.