"You don't get kicked off for nothing" - Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters on Elena Rybakina's ex-coach Stefano Vukov's presence at US Open before split
Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters recently weighed in on Elena Rybakina’s rollercoaster 2024 season and her separation from coach Stefano Vukov. The former players pondered whether the tennis world was headed for bad news regarding the matter.
Rybakina’s split from her longtime coach Vukov just days before the 2024 US Open generated immense buzz in the tennis community. The World No. 4’s subsequent retirement from the Grand Slam and reports of Stefano Vukov’s name being removed from the WTA coaches’ list fueled further speculation about the sudden separation.
Addressing Elena Rybakina’s unexpected exit from the US Open after winning the first round against Destanee Aiava 6-1, 7-6 (1), Roddick said:
"Wins convincingly the first round of the US Open after coaching breakup but doesn’t mention the specifics like, 'injuries – I’m out; I’m done,'" he said on ‘Served with Andy Roddick’ podcast.
This is not the first time this season that Rybakina has pulled out of a tournament. She withdrew from the WTA 1000 events in Indian Wells and Rome, where she was the defending champion. She also retired in Dubai and Berlin and pulled out of Eastbourne International.
Following these illness- and injury-related withdrawals, Rybakina also pulled out of the Paris Olympics due to acute bronchitis. Roddick thus expressed concerns after her US Open withdrawal.
"I don’t feel like we know the full story and I hope that it’s something that is a short-term problem or issue if it’s health… we just don’t know what it is but are we just in wait-and-see mode with her? There’s obviously more to the story but we can’t have an opinion on something you don’t know anything about," he said.
He also addressed the reported disappearance of Rybakina’s ex-coach’s name from the official list.
"Her coach got banned from – there’s a coaching list of available coaches and they kicked him off. You don’t get kicked off for nothing."
Chiming in, fellow former World No. 1 Kim Clijsters, who attended the US Open, claimed that Vukov was on the premises before the tournament.
"I think there’s definitely – more will come out," she said. "He was at the Open."
She expressed her shock at the surprising turn of events.
"He had a credential. He was there. It’s like weird… It’s all a guess to everybody besides some people who are part of the organization. I think we’ll find out more in the future about it. But at the moment, I don’t think – it’s not going to be anything good," she added.
"There’s an impending feeling of bad news coming and I would love to be wrong; this is purely conjecture," Roddick echoed.
"When Elena Rybakina plays, she plays great" – Andy Roddick
Despite her numerous withdrawals, Elena Rybakina has managed some desirable results on tour this season. The 2022 Wimbledon champion has won three titles so far at the WTA 500 events in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, and Stuttgart. She also reached the final at the WTA 1000 events in Doha and Miami.
At the French Open, Rybakina made the quarterfinals and followed it with a semifinal run at Wimbledon. Taking note of her otherwise noteworthy campaigns, Andy Roddick said:
"It’s not as if the level’s completely dropped off. When she plays, she plays great and she makes finals and wins tournaments. When she’s in full flight she’s as good as anyone in the world," he said on the aforementioned podcast.
Elena Rybakina, who was expected to resume her campaign at the WTA 500 in Seoul (September 16-22), has since withdrawn from the tournament citing a back injury.