World quantity seven Elena Rybakina stated she is “disillusioned” on the WTA’s determination to uphold the ban in opposition to her former coach Stefano Vukov following an unbiased investigation into his behaviour in the direction of the participant.
It was introduced in January that the Croat had been provisionally suspended after allegedly breaching the WTA’s Code of Conduct.
On Tuesday, the WTA – the governing physique of girls’s tennis – confirmed Vukov’s ban had been upheld.
“I am simply disillusioned with the scenario, and the way the method went. I am not going to remark way more,” the 25-year-old stated after her win over Rebecca Sramkova on the Qatar Open on Wednesday.
“I am specializing in my matches, and once I go on the courtroom I am pondering solely about the way in which I have to play.
“It isn’t one of the best time, however I need to carry out as finest as I can.”
The WTA has not specified how lengthy Vukov might be banned for and it isn’t identified which a part of the code he has damaged.
However the method through which he spoke to her – on and off courtroom at tournaments – has come underneath scrutiny.
The 37-year-old helped Rybakina to win Wimbledon in 2022 however their five-year partnership ended days earlier than the 2024 US Open in August.
The WTA’s determination means Rybakina will be unable to deliver Vukov again on to her crew – one thing she hoped to do initially of the yr.
Vukov denies any wrongdoing and instructed The Athletic final month that he had “by no means abused anybody”, whereas Rybakina additionally stated at this yr’s Australian Open she has by no means made “any complaints” about Vukov.
The WTA didn’t present particulars on the size of the suspension however Vukov can enchantment in opposition to the choice.
Rybakina labored briefly with Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic on a trial foundation, however he left her crew after a fourth-round exit on the Australian Open.
