‘Right to protect her’ – Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek defend WTA over decision to suspend Elena Rybakina’s coach
Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek are the latest players to offer their opinion on the WTA’s ban on Stefano Vukov. Vukov served as world No.7 Elena Rybakina’s coach before the women’s tour decided to launch an investigation into the 37-year-old. Coco Gauff spoke out on the WTA’s decision to ban Stefano Vukov Last month, the WTA revealed that Vukov was provisionally suspended from being accredited at any tennis tournament. The provisional suspension came during an investigation into the coach’s conduct after concerns were raised over his behaviour towards Rybakina. Then in February, Vukov was officially banned by the WTA following the investigation and an official statement was released. “The WTA confirms that the independent investigation into a potential breach of the WTA Code of Conduct by Stefano Vukov has concluded,” the women’s governing body announced. “Following this process, the suspension remains in place. To protect the confidentiality and integrity of the investigation and its findings, the WTA will not provide further details. “We remain committed to ensuring that all matters are handled in a fair and objective manner in accordance with the WTA Code of Conduct.” The length of the suspension has not been announced, nor the rule Vukov broke, but the coach can appeal the suspension. Rybakina had hoped to bring back Vukov ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Championships this week but that will no longer happen and players at the tournament have reacted to the ban. Gauff, the world No.3, revealed that while she knows Rybakina is not pleased with the decision, she accepts the WTA have a right to do this. “From my understanding, I know she doesn’t like the decision. I know WTA also has the right to protect her,” the 20-year-old told The National. Stefano Vukov was Rybakina’s coach until his suspension earlier this year Gauff says the WTA has a right to protect its playersGetty Iga Swiatek also offered her opinion on Vukov’s ban “Overall, I think it’s nice that the WTA is making sure that they’re out there to protect players, I definitely think that that’s important in our sport because a lot of times if you look, sometimes victims don’t even know they are a victim. “In this sport it’s happened so many times. A lot of times you see former players speaking out years after their career ended how they were treated.” Meanwhile, world No.2 Iga Swiatek also offered her opinion on the ban during her pre-tournament press conference in Dubai. “I guess everybody needs to respect the decision because we need to trust that the whole process was made with the right rules,” Swiatek said. “Every PT [personal trainer], every coach, they need to kind of accept the Code of Conduct when they want to be on WTA, so for sure I hope WTA is doing everything to make it a safe environment.” Rybakina initially hired Vuok in 2020 and had a coaching relationship for five years Rybakina, who won Wimbledon with Vukov as her coach, has previously said she has no complaints about him. “I don’t agree with a lot of things the WTA do in the sense of my relationship with Stefano,” said the 25-year-old last month. “I always said that he never mistreated me. That’s one thing.” Rybakina’s new coach is Davide Sanguinetti, a former tennis player who has two titles on the ATP tour. The pair will look to quickly build a relationship to restore the world no.7 back to championship-winning ways.
Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek are the latest players to offer their opinion on the WTA’s ban on Stefano Vukov.
Vukov served as world No.7 Elena Rybakina’s coach before the women’s tour decided to launch an investigation into the 37-year-old.
Last month, the WTA revealed that Vukov was provisionally suspended from being accredited at any tennis tournament.
The provisional suspension came during an investigation into the coach’s conduct after concerns were raised over his behaviour towards Rybakina.
Then in February, Vukov was officially banned by the WTA following the investigation and an official statement was released.
“The WTA confirms that the independent investigation into a potential breach of the WTA Code of Conduct by Stefano Vukov has concluded,” the women’s governing body announced.
“Following this process, the suspension remains in place. To protect the confidentiality and integrity of the investigation and its findings, the WTA will not provide further details.
“We remain committed to ensuring that all matters are handled in a fair and objective manner in accordance with the WTA Code of Conduct.”
The length of the suspension has not been announced, nor the rule Vukov broke, but the coach can appeal the suspension.
Rybakina had hoped to bring back Vukov ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Championships this week but that will no longer happen and players at the tournament have reacted to the ban.
Gauff, the world No.3, revealed that while she knows Rybakina is not pleased with the decision, she accepts the WTA have a right to do this.
“From my understanding, I know she doesn’t like the decision. I know WTA also has the right to protect her,” the 20-year-old told The National.
“Overall, I think it’s nice that the WTA is making sure that they’re out there to protect players, I definitely think that that’s important in our sport because a lot of times if you look, sometimes victims don’t even know they are a victim.
“In this sport it’s happened so many times. A lot of times you see former players speaking out years after their career ended how they were treated.”
Meanwhile, world No.2 Iga Swiatek also offered her opinion on the ban during her pre-tournament press conference in Dubai.
“I guess everybody needs to respect the decision because we need to trust that the whole process was made with the right rules,” Swiatek said.
“Every PT [personal trainer], every coach, they need to kind of accept the Code of Conduct when they want to be on WTA, so for sure I hope WTA is doing everything to make it a safe environment.”
Rybakina, who won Wimbledon with Vukov as her coach, has previously said she has no complaints about him.
“I don’t agree with a lot of things the WTA do in the sense of my relationship with Stefano,” said the 25-year-old last month.
“I always said that he never mistreated me. That’s one thing.”
Rybakina’s new coach is Davide Sanguinetti, a former tennis player who has two titles on the ATP tour.
The pair will look to quickly build a relationship to restore the world no.7 back to championship-winning ways.
