"Way too many things of him yelling at Elena Rybakina" - Serena Williams' ex-coach reveals players' concerns about Stefano Vukov's angry behavior
Serena Williams' former coach Rennae Stubbs has shed light on her concerns about Elena Rybakina's ex-coach Stefano Vukov's angry conduct during her matches. Stubbs also revealed that she wasn't alone in her concerns, disclosing that many players had brought forth similar worries.
Rybakina last competed on tour at the 2024 US Open, pulling out of the Major before her second-round match as her fitness struggles continued. The Kazakh also made headlines before her campaign in New York, when she announced her split with long-time coach Stefano Vukov.
The split sparked considerable discourse, as Vukov often came under fire for his belligerent conduct during the World No. 4's matches. The concerns surrounding their partnership were recently exacerbated when tennis journalist Sonya Tartakova made alarming claims about Vukov subjecting the 25-year-old to "pressure, insults, and bad words."
Rennae Stubbs, who had raised concerns about Stefano Vukov's "astounding negativity" even before his split with Elena Rybakina, has reiterated her concerns about him not being a "good element" in the Kazakh's team.
During a recent episode of the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, the Australian highlighted Vukov's "pissed off" demeanor during the World No. 4's matches and emphasized the importance of having a positive influence in the player's box.
"You guys know, if you have listened to our podcast, I had my feelings and my thoughts when it came to her (Elena Rybakina's) coach. I thought he was not a good element. When I’m playing a match, I don’t want to see my coach gesturing, looking all pissed off up there," Stubbs said.
"And there’s been some coaches of late that I’m like, 'Why do these players allow these coaches to look like this?' Because you need a positive influence around you when you’re looking up there," she added.
Stubbs opened up about witnessing countless instances of Vukov "yelling" at Elena Rybakina in the gym and berating her even after victories, revealing that other players had also brought these concerns to her.
"Now, off the court, in a way he might be the greatest guy in the world to her, I don’t know. But when it comes to being her coach, I saw way too many things of him yelling at her in the gym, other players have said stuff to me. When she would win matches, he was giving her sh*t," she said.
"This is what other people saw. There's 25 other people that could see the same thing I was seeing," she added.
"We are all pulling for Elena Rybakina because she is a great player" - Rennae Stubbs
During the same podcast, Rennae Stubbs disclosed that she was rooting for Elena Rybakina to make a strong comeback to tour following the Kazakh's withdrawal from the Asian swing due to a back injury.
Stubbs also expressed her belief that, at her peak, Rybakina was the best player on tour and emphasized the importance of her rivalries with top stars like Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.
"What we want everyone to know is that we are all pulling for her because she is a great kid, great player, lovely person and she’s arguably one of the best players in the world. When she’s at her best, I don’t think there’s anyone better to be honest. Frankly, we need her back out there because her rivalry with many of these players is really important," Stubbs said.
Elena Rybakina has disclosed that she and her team are aiming to get her back on court in time for the WTA Finals, scheduled to commence on November 2.