Elena Rybakina has strongly rejected the accusations made by Tennis Hall of Famer Pam Shriver regarding her coach, Stefano Vukov, and the claims of abuse. Shriver, who has long criticized Vukov’s conduct towards Rybakina, expressed her suspicions that Vukov had subjected Rybakina to mistreatment after the news broke that the Kazakh tennis star had rehired him.
When asked about Shriver’s comments during a press conference, Rybakina responded firmly, stating, “Pam Shriver, I don’t know her personally. She never came to me, never talked with me, but I know her story. It’s sad, but it doesn’t mean other players are facing the same issues. Since she doesn’t know me, I don’t think it’s fair to make any comments like that, especially being an active coach and a commentator.”
Rybakina’s words were pointed, as she criticized Shriver’s public comments on her relationship with Vukov, especially given the American’s own controversial history. Shriver had been in an “inappropriate” relationship with her then-coach, Don Candy, when she was 17 and he was 33, a relationship that lasted five years.
In a separate issue, Rybakina also revealed that she struggled with insomnia during the 2024 season, which had a significant impact on her health. The sleep issues worsened her immune system, causing her to withdraw from the second round of the US Open and ultimately miss several tournaments leading up to the WTA Finals. Rybakina admitted that pushing through the fatigue might not have been the best choice and acknowledged that she should have taken time off earlier.
Now the sixth seed at the 2025 Australian Open, Rybakina will face Emerson Jones in the first round. The 25-year-old reached the final at Melbourne Park in 2023 but was defeated by current World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
