Suspension lifted for Elena Rybakina’s coach
The coach of the 2022 Wimbledon champion, Elena Rybakina, has been cleared by the WTA Tour to return after his suspension for a potential breach of its code of conduct. Stefano Vukov was provisionally suspended in January while the tour conducted an investigation. In February, it was announced that the investigation had concluded and that the ban remained in effect, without specifying its duration. The organization announced on Friday that Vukov would once again be authorized to receive credentials that would allow him to access the players’ areas and practice courts at its events.Rybakina announced before last year’s US Open that Vukov would no longer be her coach, but then stated before the Australian Open that he would rejoin her team. She insisted that he had never mistreated her during their time working together. Rybakina, ranked number 10 in the WTA Tour, recently reached the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Montreal before losing to Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, who ultimately became the champion.“The WTA is fully committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all athletes and other participants, as stated in our Code of Conduct and WTA Protection Code,” the tour stated in a statement. “Any sanctions issued following a violation of these protection rules are carefully considered and are subject to appeal to an independent tribunal. While the details of the case remain confidential, we can confirm that Mr. Vukov is eligible to receive credentials at WTA events.”
WTA Tour
