Talk About Tennis 2.0

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 1:08 pm So, basically. Shriver is saying that Elena doesn't know what is best for herself, but Shriver does. The "Entire Sport" has to stand up when players make individual decisions.
But we have to empower players.
I don't get it.

You'll remember Shriver is talking as a survivor of coach abuse.

Yes. But let's also remember that Elena has never accused this guy of any abuse. And, we either accept her decision as made by a responsible adult, or we then decide that she is not capable of such decisions and therefore none of the women in the WTA would be, because they are all the same cadre of people.
Shriver is perilously close to law suit territory. I think.

Elena Rybakina’s former coach Stefano Vukov suspended by WTA under code of conduct investigation
By Matthew Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare

On the eve of the Australian Open, a major conflict is intensifying at the top of women’s tennis.

Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, wants to bring former coach Stefano Vukov back onto her team, but Vukov has been provisionally suspended by the WTA Tour while under a confidential and private investigation for a breach of the tour’s Code of Conduct.

Vukov is barred from obtaining a WTA credential, and Tennis Australia will not issue him accreditation for the first Grand Slam of the 2025 season.

Vukov has denied breaching the WTA’s code, and Rybakina, the world No. 6. has repeatedly stated that Vukov’s conduct towards her has never been abusive. She has made those sentiments clear to the WTA Tour, according to a representative briefed on the ongoing investigation. The WTA launched the investigation last year after complaints were made about his conduct, described as intense and at times harsh by others within the sport.

While other coaches and commentators, including Pam Shriver, a coach of Donna Vekic and an analyst for ESPN, publicly criticized Vukov, Rybakina defended him, and she was not one of the complainants to contact the WTA Tour.

“Definitely never abused anyone,” Vukov wrote in a text message during his flight to Australia Thursday from Dubai.

“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.”

Tennis Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to two sources briefed on the investigation, the WTA Tour is in the final stages of compiling its investigation into Vukov, which has been conducted by an independent organization and could be released in the coming days.

Those sources say that the WTA Tour has not interviewed Vukov regarding the complaints. They spoke anonymously so as not to compromise ongoing relationships with people within the sport.

With Vukov effectively barred from coaching, he would not be able to enter practice courts or Rybakina’s box at the Australian Open, or any other event. But in an Instagram story posted January 1 from Perth, where Rybakina was competing in the United Cup for Kazakhstan alongside current coach Goran Ivanisevic, she confirmed Vukov’s return to her team.

“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 wrote.

Rybakina’s decision to bring back Vukov sets up the potential for a confrontation with the top officials in the sport just days before the start of the year’s first Grand Slam, traditionally one of the sport’s biggest moments of the year.

People who have been in direct contact with Rybakina, the 2023 finalist in Melbourne, have said it’s not clear what she will do if Vukov is not allowed to coach her. Possibilities include everything from acquiring tickets so that he can watch matches inside the stadium to boycotting the tournament and events on the WTA Tour.

Rybakina, who was born and raised in Russia but has represented Kazakhstan in exchange for support for her career since she was 18, parted ways with Vukov in August after a successful five-year partnership. Rybakina was well outside the top 100 when she and Vukov began working together. She won Wimbledon in 2022, beating Ons Jabeur in three sets.

Wimbledon had banned players representing Russia and Belarus because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but Rybakina was allowed to play because she now claims Kazakhstan as her home country.

Rybakina lost the Australian Open final in three sets to Aryna Sabalenka six months later. She reached No. 3 in the rankings and has been one of the few players to consistently cause problems for Iga Swiatek, the sport’s dominant player of the past three years.

She has, however, struggled with injury and illness the past year and a half. During that time, she has repeatedly withdrawn from tournaments, including Indian Wells, the Italian Open, and the Olympics.

According to the sources briefed on the investigation, Rybakina has been in contact with the WTA Tour for months, attempting to refute the allegations and to make Vukov eligible to coach her. Her decision to go public with her desire to work with Vukov alongside Ivanisevic, whose appointment she announced just two months ago, has forced the issue into the spotlight.

While Vukov cannot coach her, Rybakina’s social media post didn’t mention what role he would have. Sources close to Rybakina’s most recent events and briefed on the ongoing investigation have said that Rybakina and Vukov speak regularly about and before her matches.

Alongside its code of conduct, on Monday December 26, the WTA issued new safeguarding regulations, in a 50-page document The Athletic has reviewed.

Some of the regulations, including powers that allow the WTA Tour to provisionally ban a coach without an explanation or notice of an ongoing investigation, appear to conform to the details of the situation involving Rybakina and Vukov, but they are not directly part of the Code of Conduct he is being investigated for breaching.

Where this leaves Ivanisevic, who was most recently coaching Novak Djokovic, remains to be determined. Ivanisevic, 53, helped Djokovic to nine Grand Slam titles between 2019 and 2024.

Appointing Ivanisevic was considered a major coup for Rybakina.Their partnership, however, has become strained after she announced that Vukov would return just weeks after Ivanisevic began working with her. Ivanisevic, who has a short-term deal (which is not uncommon in tennis), was blindsided by Rybakina’s announcement, according to the sources at Rybakina’s recent events and briefed on the ongoing investigation into Vukov. Earlier this week, Rybakina told on-court reporters that the tennis world would, over time, “see the work” the two are putting in.

It’s not clear that Ivanisevic will remain if Vukov is able to become Rybakina’s de facto coach again in the future.

Vukov has flown to Australia at Rybakina’s behest but cannot be on the court with her, which is where a coach would need to be. Rybakina says she wants him there. The WTA does not, and Tennis Australia is upholding the tour’s provisional suspension.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/603423 ... stigation/

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 5:25 pm Yes. But let's also remember that Elena has never accused this guy of any abuse. And, we either accept her decision as made by a responsible adult, or we then decide that she is not capable of such decisions and therefore none of the women in the WTA would be, because they are all the same cadre of people.
Shriver is perilously close to law suit territory. I think.

I think she's essentially saying that if there's evidence misconduct has been committed, it should be investigated regardless of whether the victim of misconduct is officially asking to pursue it or not. I personally don't this infringes on the rights of women or victims but I get your point.

Looks like the stuff about Vukov isn't conjecture and I'd assume Shriver knows maybe more than we do.

Serious here, not trying to discount your point.
Why would we assume Shriver knows more than the rest of the general public? She is a commentator, not a journalist, and, as I have said before, the fact that she has claimed she was also subject to abuse cuts both ways. She may be tuned to spotting these events, or she sees them now everywhere, because of trauma.
It is not a trivial accusation, to say the least. And it is something that could affect Vukov's future job possibilities, permanently.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2025 2:50 pm Serious here, not trying to discount your point.
Why would we assume Shriver knows more than the rest of the general public? She is a commentator, not a journalist, and, as I have said before, the fact that she has claimed she was also subject to abuse cuts both ways. She may be tuned to spotting these events, or she sees them now everywhere, because of trauma.
It is not a trivial accusation, to say the least. And it is something that could affect Vukov's future job possibilities, permanently.

Well, Pam does have a much higher level of access and likely long term relationships inside the WTA that she's been a part of for 50 years than we do. Much of me wants to just say "forget Elena while she's with him" as I much want her safety is assured working with him. I don't know him, but I also don't trust him. It's ultimately up to her and the people around her, good luck Elena.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2025 2:50 pm Serious here, not trying to discount your point.
Why would we assume Shriver knows more than the rest of the general public? She is a commentator, not a journalist, and, as I have said before, the fact that she has claimed she was also subject to abuse cuts both ways. She may be tuned to spotting these events, or she sees them now everywhere, because of trauma.
It is not a trivial accusation, to say the least. And it is something that could affect Vukov's future job possibilities, permanently.

Shriver is also a coach now as well, and I imagine as a former player who is well-liked that she has access that many do not to insider talk.

As for Vukov, it seems obvious that his behavior needs to be investigated--he is horrible to Rybakina on camera, so I'd hate to see what he is like when it is off.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2025 2:50 pm Serious here, not trying to discount your point.
Why would we assume Shriver knows more than the rest of the general public? She is a commentator, not a journalist, and, as I have said before, the fact that she has claimed she was also subject to abuse cuts both ways. She may be tuned to spotting these events, or she sees them now everywhere, because of trauma.
It is not a trivial accusation, to say the least. And it is something that could affect Vukov's future job possibilities, permanently.

Because when I was traveling to tournaments a couple times a year as media, I heard a lot of stuff and interacted with different people and knew and saw a lot more than the general public. And I wasn't a former player working for a network involved in tennis year-round. At the minimum, she would have heard ahead of time about the WTA investigation into him before it was announced.

Remember that the talk about him being suspended started around last years US Open.

What bothers me is that she hired Goran then seems to have gone behind his back to bring Vukov back. If I'm Goran I'm out of there.

Elena Rybakina defends former coach after provisional ban: ‘He never mistreated me’
Story by Jamie Braidwood

Former Wimbledon champion and World No 6 Elena Rybakina has defended her former coach Stefano Vukov after he was previously suspended by the women’s tennis tour (WTA).

The Athletic reported on Thursday that Vukoc has been suspended by the WTA while it investigates a potential breach of its code of conduct, which means he is unable to receive accreditation for this month’s Australian Open.

Rybakina and Vukov ended their five-year partnership before last year’s US Open, with the 2022 Wimbledon champion then appointing Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic.

But Rybakina, 25, announced that Vukov would be rejoining her team earlier this week and said Vukov has “never mistreated me” while the WTA investigation into his behaviour continues.

Rybakina was speaking after playing for Kazakhstan in their semi-final defeat to Poland in the United Cup, ahead of the start of the Australian Open in Melbourne on 12 January.

“I said it already before that he never mistreated me or it was never anything like that," Rybakina said at the United Cup in Sydney.

“I’m working with Goran. I’m happy the way we’ve worked for a couple of weeks. Stefano is rejoining the team because I know the person for six years and there’s a lot of things we can do outside of the court too.

“Of course I’m not really happy with the situation. I’m not happy with the comments which I see, especially from the people who are on the tour. It’s active coaches, commentators. I don’t think that it’s fair.”

Vukov told The Athletic that he “never abused anyone” while the WTA said he would not be eligible to get accredited for its tournaments. That includes the Australian Open, where Rybakina was a runner-up in 2023.

Vukov was Rybakina’s coach when she won Wimbledon in 2022 and reached No 3 in the world rankings. She struggled with illness and injury last season and missed several high-profile tournaments, including the Olympics.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/tennis/ ... r-AA1wXq77

Sofya Tartakova summarised her conversation with Stefano Vukov.

The pair split before the US Open, which was arguably the biggest news leading up to the start of the fourth and final Grand Slam of 2024. This was because Vukov had been working with Rybakina since she was 17 or 18 years old, meaning they had been together for over six years. He was the coach Rybakina herself chose, supported by her family, and their partnership seemed strong and successful. With Vukov, she became the world's third-ranked player and won Wimbledon. However, over the years, there were increasing rumours surrounding their partnership.

In the past year, speculation arose about Vukov's allegedly harsh treatment of Rybakina, including claims of a tough coaching style. Some reports even suggested that players and coaches in the WTA filed a complaint against Vukov, leading to his suspension from the women's tour. We spent a long time investigating these rumours, trying to gather information and reach out to Rybakina herself. The most straightforward approach was to ask the source directly, but every time, Lena and her team declined to comment at all the tournaments last year. By the end of the 2024 season, we had information suggesting that their relationship was indeed complicated and that Lena was going through a significant mental crisis. We discussed this on-air.

On December 30, I had a working meeting with Stefan. First, I want to thank players and coaches who come forward and share their stories because there's often an abundance of rumours and limited reliable information. What did Stefan specifically say? He stated that reports of his suspension from the WTA were false.

These are his words, not mine. He said he and Rybakina maintain good working relations. Stefan mentioned that he would fly to Melbourne on January 4 to support Rybakina, while Goran Ivanisevic would remain her coach. Goran began working with Rybakina during the pre-season. However, it turns out he has limited availability after Australia-only 12 or 15 weeks, which is standard practice. As Anastasia Myskina (co-host of the show) confirmed, a coach and player typically agree on a set number of weeks to work together during the season.

Vukov also shared that his relationship with Rybakina is genuinely warm, describing her as a wonderful person. Regarding last year, he claimed he could explain every one of Lena's losses or absences from tournaments. According to him, her burnout was not caused by any internal conflicts. He emphasized that their relationship is fine, but she was simply overworked-too many tournaments, too much travel, which left her mentally exhausted.

At this point, that's all the information I have. We're waiting for the Australian Open to conclude, as the conversation was intriguing. Naturally, I still have many questions, especially about the origins of these rumours. I was shocked by the reaction when we published the news on December 31. While it wasn't a major story in our country, it caused a massive stir in the global tennis media. The next day, on January 1, Lena confirmed our report that Vukov would re-join her team. I was stunned by the backlash from fans. I even messaged Stefan because I was in disbelief.

People called him a stalker, an abuser, and accused him of breaking her down. He reads all of this, and he asked me about the response in Russian-speaking media. Of course, coverage in our tennis journalism tends to lag behind the global tennis world. However, English-speaking tennis media exploded with this story. I can only advise Stefan to communicate with journalists and share his side of the story because the accusations against him are alarming.

Recently, American media published an investigation claiming there was indeed a temporary suspension of Vukov from the women's tour, citing a supposed violation of some code. This story is frustratingly vague. Back in October, I emailed the WTA asking for clarification on whether Vukov was suspended. When we published the Melbourne flight news on December 31, the uproar reignited, and suddenly, there's talk of an investigation. Yet the WTA never responded to my email. It's a situation similar to the doping rumours surrounding Swiatek and Sinner - everything happens behind closed doors.

To Stefan's credit, he's an open person. He told me I could ask him anything, and he'd answer. I enjoy working with such people. He emphasised showing respect for Lena, as all the speculation about him also affects her. This raises the question: if he is innocent, why hasn't the women's tour defended him? I know Lena is doing everything she can to support him.

Ultimately, she brought him back into her team for a reason. It must work for her. Life off the court is often more complicated than life on it. The nuances are many, but right now, Rybakina wants to work with Vukov. Leave them alone and let them work together-she's not a 13-year-old girl.

Without wading too deeply into this, all of these articles seem tone deaf as to how abuse actually works. Interviewing the suspected abuser ain't it.

From Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: Maria Sakkari has hired Raemon Sluiter (former coach of Bertens, Griekspoor, Svitolina) as her new coach. The goal is to see if a return to the top-10 is possible. As far as I can tell, he won't be travelling with her fulltime, as yet.