Elena Rybakina pushes restart, this time without Goran Ivanisevic
The early days of January looked a new dawn for Rybakina. She had hired a new and experienced coach in Goran Ivanisevic, and, just as importantly, seemed to have parted ways with her old coach, Stefano Vukov, who has been provisionally suspended from the WTA Tour after allegations of abuse.
But any thoughts of a fresh start faded quickly, when she asked Vukov to join her in Australia. Soon Goran was gone, and Rybakina was knocked out of the year’s first Slam by eventual champ Madison Keys.
Read more: From rollercoaster to soap opera: Elena Rybakina’s coaching woes leave her hanging
This week, she’ll make her return, coach-free, at the Abu Dhabi Open, the first event of February’s sandy swing through the Saudi peninsula. Rybkina is the top seed, followed by Paula Badosa and Daria Kasatkina. Badosa’s semifinal in Melbourne makes her a player to watch again.
