Elena Rybakina will work with Italian coach Davide Sanguinetti after her split from Goran Ivanisevic (Image: GETTY)
has confirmed she is working with former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Davide Sanguinetti following her . The world No. 5 was knocked out of the in the fourth round during her only Grand Slam alongside Ivanisevic after appointing the Croatian on a trial basis in November.
Rybakina previously worked with Stefano Vukov for five years, with the 37-year-old helping the star win the title in 2022.
But their partnership ended ahead of last year’s US Open, with Vukov currently by the WTA amid an investigation over allegations of breaking the WTA’s code of conduct.
“We just did one week of preparation with him,” Rybakina told AFP at the Abu Dhabi Open as she discussed Sanguinetti.
“I knew him a little bit from before. So he was actually available. We’ll see how it goes but for now I’m happy with the way we worked this week and hopefully it goes well for us. But again, it’s something you need to take time [with] and get used to each other.”
Rybakina announced that Vukov had rejoined her backroom team ahead of the , but the coach was unable to link up with the player in Melbourne as he is currently barred from obtaining WTA accreditation, although he has denied breaching the WTA’s code of conduct.
And after being quizzed about the investigation, Rybakina explained: “I don’t know much. The situation, I’m not happy with – but it is what it is and for now I don’t know much.”
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Elena Rybakina’s former coach Stefano Vukov is currently provisionally suspended by the WTA (Image: GETTY)
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She continued: “I think safeguarding is important but the case with what happened with us, I don’t think it was handled well.
“At the end of the day, I think that you need to listen to the player, this is the most important [thing].
“As I said before, there is a lot of comments from people who are also in our environment but they’re making comments not knowing me, not knowing him, and it’s just making a bad look for everyone.”
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Rybakina was defeated by eventual champion Madison Keys at Melbourne Park, two years after reaching the final alongside Vukov.
And turning her attention to her split from Ivanisevic, the 25-year-old added: “Well I won’t say it was something specific, we just sat down, we talked and we decided to go [our] separate ways.
“As I said, I think I learnt a lot and it’s not easy to find a good collaboration. That was our decision so we will see how this year goes for me.
“I’m also not such an easy player maybe. Some people think, ‘Oh it’s easy with her.’ It’s not really like this. But yeah we’ll see how this year goes.”