Goran Ivanisevic quits as coach for Elena Rybakina
January 23, 2025
Goran Ivanicevic (MacKrys, Wikimedia Commons)
According to Charlie Eccleshare and Matthew Futterman of The Athletic on Monday, 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic has quit as coach for Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the world number six, and 2022 Wimbledon champion.
The resignation came after Rybakina lost in the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open to Madison Keys of the United States, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. This has been an excellent Australian Open for Keys, who is in the semifinals on Thursday where she will face world number two Iga Swiatek of Poland.
The Ivanisevic-Rybakina partnership was short lived. Rybakina initially hired Ivanisevic in November for the 2025 tennis season after Rybakina parted ways with coach Stefano Vukov prior to the 2024 United States Open. Ivanisevic agreed to coach Rybakina after no longer coaching Novak Djokovic.
Now we are understanding the reasons why the Ivanisevic/Rybakina relationship is no longer taking place. It has to do with Vukov, as on New Year’s Day, Rybakina reported that Vukov would be returning to the team. In what capacity was a question. Would it be as co-coach or mentor? What we do know is that Ivanisevic was not pleased of Vukov’s return.
It should also be pointed out that Vukov is still provisionally suspended by the WTA for breaching the WTA code of conduct. What precisely Vukov has done we do not know at this time. What we do know is Rybakina has publicly stated that Vukov has never mistreated her even though former American tennis star Pam Shriver (who coaches Donna Vekic) has publicly stated that Rybakina needs to find a coach who “speaks and treats her with respect at all times” according to Jonathan Jurejko of BBC. Vekic, Ivanisevic and Vukov are all Croatian.
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