Elena Rybakina Makes Unexpected Announcement
In a surprising turn of events, Elena Rybakina, the reigning Wimbledon champion, has announced her decision to take a hiatus from competitive tennis. The 24-year-old Kazakhstani athlete revealed her plans in a statement released earlier today, citing the need for personal reflection and recovery as the primary reasons for her break.
Rybakina, who has been a dominant force on the WTA tour, did not specify how long the hiatus will last or whether she intends to return for the upcoming season. Fans and fellow players alike have expressed their support, acknowledging her contributions to the sport and wishing her well during this time.
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Tennis News: Elena Rybakina’s coach banned, Alexander Zverev joins Jannik Sinner
Elena Rybakina has struggled a bit in 2024. She has withdrawn or retired from eight different tournaments this year, an unusually high number for most players. This is especially true for a player who is used to being ranked in the top five. There have been rumors that her former coach was part of the issue.
Rybakina split from long-time coach Stefano Vukov prior to the US Open. Her coach since 2019 had been him. During her matches, he was also infamous for being quite harsh and critical. Being cruel to a player for years on end is the best way to wear them down. With Vukov, this was the situation.
There seems to be another issue now. Craig Shapiro, a tennis analyst, claims that Vukov is no longer listed as an official WTA coach. It would also seem from this that Vukov has received a WTA ban. We don’t know why, but the fact that Rybakina and Vukov broke up and then he was abruptly kicked off the tour is probably not a coincidence. Alexander will travel to Italy to see Jannik Sinner, and Elena Rybakina’s coach seems to have been prohibited. There will probably be additional updates on the matter. But one should hope Rybakina is doing well.
In completely different news, Alexander Zverev has become the second player this year to cement his spot in Turin for the year-end ATP Finals. He earned enough points at the US Open to push him through. Sinner long planted his spot in Turin. He is far ahead in the ATP rankings and with little chance of being caught by anyone anytime soon.
This year’s ATP Finals may not resemble those from prior years at all. Novak Djokovic has a good probability of not earning enough points to make the cut. His motivation to play in the remainder of the year will determine a lot. He really has no motivation to strive and win more ATP Finals in order to validate himself. Last year, Sinner advanced past Djokovic in the ATP Finals round robin round, but the Serb easily won the match in the championship match. Sinner has been the top player on the ATP overall through the second half of last year and the first nine months of 2024. Zverev is probably the second most reliable player.
