Eurosport’s Barbara Schett has revealed startling details about Elena Rybakina’s personal life, confirming that the Wimbledon champion and her former coach, Stefano Vukov, are in a “private relationship.” In a rather blunt statement, Schett accused Vukov of mentally manipulating Rybakina, claiming that the Croatian coach had subjected the Kazakh to “brainwashing.”
Vukov, who had been working with Rybakina since 2019 until their separation in August 2024, is currently under a one-year suspension for violating the WTA Tour’s code of conduct. This suspension was officially confirmed earlier this month, following an investigation that was reported by The Athletic in January 2025. The investigation focused on his behavior, which led to the suspension, effectively barring him from obtaining accreditation to tournaments.
Despite the ban, Rybakina had announced at the start of 2025 that she intended to rehire Vukov, but the suspension now prevents him from joining her team at events. Additional details from The Athletic have surfaced, revealing that Vukov allegedly subjected Rybakina to mental abuse, and that after their initial split, he continued to harass her with relentless text messages, particularly ahead of the 2024 US Open. There were also reports that the two had shared a hotel room in Melbourne during Rybakina’s Australian Open campaign in January 2025, leading the WTA to suggest that they were in a romantic relationship.
This suggestion has now seemingly been confirmed by Schett, who spoke candidly with Kicker about the situation. According to the former world No. 7, she had a conversation with Rybakina’s former coach, Goran Ivanisevic, following the pair’s split. Schett explained, “In my opinion, he [Vukov] subjected Elena to complete brainwashing. 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.”
She continued, “We know she’s had 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.” Schett further revealed that Ivanisevic had confirmed the suspicions about a personal relationship between Rybakina and Vukov, adding, “The problem is that they are in a private relationship, and Vukov wants to sneak back into the team. That is a disaster, and he needs to be out of her life after everything he has done.”
Describing Vukov’s behavior at the Australian Open, Schett mentioned hearing reports of him shouting from the players’ box, an act she described as “simply not acceptable.” She applauded the WTA for taking action, saying, “It’s great that the WTA is protecting its players and has drawn consequences.”
Rybakina, however, has kept quiet on the matter, refusing to publicly condemn Vukov. She did express her disappointment with the WTA’s ruling regarding his suspension. At present, Rybakina is without a permanent coach, having parted ways with Ivanisevic after her fourth-round exit to Madison Keys in Melbourne.
Currently ranked No. 7 in the world, Rybakina had a strong showing during the Middle East swing of the season, reaching the semi-finals in Abu Dhabi, the quarter-finals in Doha, and the semi-finals in Dubai. She is now set to return to the court at Indian Wells, where she’ll be aiming to defend her title after having to withdraw from her 2024 campaign due to illness.