Elena Rybakina hits out at Pam Shriver as row escalates at Australian Open amid suspension

Elena Rybakina has hit back at a fellow former Wimbledon champion Pam Shriver in an escalating row over the Kazakh’s suspended coach.

Stefano Vukov has been provisionally banned and placed under investigation by the WTA over allegations of breaking the WTA’s code of conduct.

Rybakina has added Goran Ivanisevic to her coaching team but has denied the allegations surrounding Vukov and said last week that the Croatian will also return for the in an unspecified role.

Former American star Shriver, who won five doubles titles with Martina Navratilova, has raised concerns about Vukov in the past.

Speaking at her pre-tournament press conference, Rybakina said: “I don’t want to speak much about what’s going to be next. But definitely, I don’t agree with a lot of things what WTA do in the sense of my relationship with Stefano.

“As I said before, I have never made any complaints or any of these things. I always said that he never mistreated me. That’s one thing. I don’t really want to speak about this more. I want to focus on my matches here.”

Vukov has not been interviewed as part of the WTA’s investigation and denies breaking the WTA’s code and, in a statement to The Athletic, said: “Definitely never abused anyone.”

And asked about other coaches commenting on her situation – Shriver is part of Donna Vekic’s team – the 2022 champion said: “Well, I get that one of coaches, Pam Shriver, I don’t know her personally

“She never came to me personally, never talked with me, but I know her story. It’s sad, but it doesn’t mean other players facing the same issues.

“Since she doesn’t know me, I don’t know her, I don’t think it’s fair to make any comments like that, especially being an active coach, being commentator, journalist, so on.”