If you are a fan of women’s tennis, you cannot have missed the drama around Elena Rybakina in 2024. Undoubtedly one of the most talented players on tour, Wimbledon champion of 2022 Rybakina seemed set for a mighty 2024. She is someone world number 1, Iga Swiatek always struggles with, and she started the year dismantling Aryna Sabalenka, 6-0, 6-3, in the Brisbane WTA500 final in a peerless display of clean hitting. So much so, Sabalenka, ever the gracious loser, thanked her for letting her have a few games to make it look like a fight! For many, she was the favourite heading into the Autralian Open 2024.

Read more: We Need to Talk About Elena..

She went out early in round 2 at the Australian Open, after playing the longest tie break in grand slam history – 31 minutes – and squandering 8 match points to lose to Anna Blinkova.

However, despite winning the title in Abu Dhabi, cracks were showing. Rybakina lost to Swiatek in the Doha final and then had pulled out of Dubai, and then was unable to defend her Indian Wells title due to ‘gastrointestinal issues’. While she bounced back to make the final in Miami and had a great title run in Stuttgart – where she beat Swiatek, and then pushed Sabalenka all the way in a terrific match in the Madrid quarterfinals, once again things looked uncertain with a withdrawal from Rome where she was defending champion. At Roland Garros, she had cruised through without dropping a set to the quarter finals, but then squandered a break lead against Jasmine Paolini. On the grass in Berlin, we saw another withdrawal, feeling ‘unwell’ when 1-3 down in the first set against Azarenka. She came into Wimbledon as many people’s favourite after Sabalenka was forced out with a shoulder injury and Swiatek not comfortable on grass. Her defeat by Krejcikova in the semifinals was a big surprise as she had been swatting people away and began the semifinal like a rocket, but ultimtely was unable to cope with the variety of the Czech.

The withdrawal from the Olympics sounded serious – acute bronchitis contracted after Wimbledon – and that she was instructed by her doctors not to fly. But bigger drama was to come as after not looking too good in her one US hardcourt match – a loss to Leylah Fernandez from match point up in Cincinnati – she announced that she would no longer be working with longtime coach Stefano Vukov on the eve of the US Open.

She got through the first round at the final slam of the year, but looked thin and quite pale in her press conference. (Look closely at that photo on the top of this page..) A withdrawal before her second round ‘due to my injuries’, and she has not been seen on court since. She pulled out of the entire Asian swing and announced that:

So for Rybakina fans, and indeed any fan of women’s tennis, one of the brightest stars has indeed had a challenging year. When she is fit and healthy, she is undoubtedly one of the very best players, but her injury and recurring illness issues are a real worry.

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So, let’s talk abut Stefano Vukov…

The relationship between Rybakina and Vukov has been commented on largely for the way he interacts with her. Vukov often seems to be very negative, telling her off and berating her. In the days of on-court coaching, his manner was very authoritarian and the reserved Rybakina seemed to take it.

There were rumours that many on the tour had heard him shouting at her in the gyms and on the practice court. Guardian tennis correspondant, Tumaini Carayol told a story about them:

“It was at Eastbourne when Rybakina was training with Bublik and after hitting with him, she started to return his serves. It wasn’t easy, she returned a couple. But after every serve, you saw Vukov just sprint to the baseline, taking her racquet and showing her how to return. She was really getting a bit annoyed and flustered. In the end, Bublik said, ‘Why don’t you return my serves’ to Vukov. He then served him five aces and jokingly said, ‘Leave the girl alone. Don’t put pressure on her’.”

After the 2023 Autralian Open, tennis legend Pam Shriver took a lot of criticism for saying she hoped Rybakina would find a coach who treated her with more respect. Laura Robson and Rennae Stubbs had also commented on feeling uncomfortable. “I don’t know how she deals with the coach, he seems to be so negative” Robson said on air.

Rybakina herself posted a response on social media indicating people did not know what they were talking about. He is a talker. He yaps all the time – and maybe that contrast is what Rybakina needed. But it was often uncomfortable watching someone be treated like a naughty child. However, he did famously get her name tattoed on his arm after her Wimbledon victory (and I guess will be hitting the tattoo removal services now!)

Is it insulting to her that people assume she would stay with a coach who doesn’t respect her? He took her on at a young age and is clearly a big factor in her improvement and success. Is it just that what we see is the difference in their personalities and that is what works for her? She has also thrown a bit back – telling him to ‘shut up’ in her match against Pegula at Miami last year. At Roand Garros this year, she was seen saying ‘why the fuck are you talking Italian,’ to Vukov in her loss to Paolini. Rybakina might look quiet, but you don’t win as many titles as she has if you are not a mentally strong person. If you listen to her in press, she is clearly pretty strong minded, and doesn’t back down.

After the split was annouced, rumours circulated that he had been banned as a coach on the WTA tour as his name was removed from the coaches list on the WTA website (a list which does not include every coach and also includes a lot of people who have not coached a player for many years.) Just an admin thing?

Then in the last few weeks, there was a story about an interview with a respected Russian journalist, Sofya Tartakova on Twitter where she commented on Rybakina.

More gossip and rumours or genuine insight from someone who has been around Russian tennis players? Who knows what is actually going on with Elena Rybakina.

However, there will be many WTA fans that are keeping their fingers crossed that Elena Rybakina can find a coach that supports her and starts to rebuild her game with hopefully a sustained period of health and fitness. She is a player with the talent to win more slams, but right now her prospects for the rest of the year are probably one of the biggest unknowns. She is likely to qualify for the WTA finals in Riyadh, but will she play? Will she be FIT to play? When will we see the delightful Anna Rybakina back looking pained in her box!!

Get well soon Elena!