Elena Rybakina has gotten to work with Goran Ivanisevic as the 25-year-old shared a practice selfie with her new coach and two other team members.
After splitting with Stefano Vukov in late August and then being sidelined for the next two months under mysterious circumstances, the 2022 Wimbledon champion came to Riyadh for the WTA Finals. During her pre-tournament presser there, she shared that she had a new coach and that it was none other than Novak Djokovic’s former long-time team member.
Elena Rybakina© YouTube screenshot
In Riyadh, Rybakina also revealed that they would officially start working in the preseason. And since it’s that time of the year, they are now officially partners.
And ahead of the Australian swing, the Kazakh tennis star is preparing in Dubai.
Rybakina wanted Ivanisevic
While out of action and without a coach, the world No. 6 was going through the list of potential replacements. That’s when she realized that the Croatian – who split with Djokovic in April – was available.
“Really looking forward to this partnership. I think he’s a great champion and he has so much experience. I’m really looking forward to start (to work with him). Yeah, for me was important to get better. Of course, with the help of the agents we connected and just decided to start working. So I’m really looking forward,” Rybakina said when revealing Ivanisevic as her new coach.
After their collaboration was made public, the 2001 Wimbledon winner said it was an interesting working opportunity for him because the 25-year-old had the potential for more Slam wins.
“Game-wise, she has got a big serve, tall, strong hitter who plays aggressively, she won Wimbledon just like me. I feel I can teach her something. I mean, she is already No. 5 in the world, but I think she can win more Slams, that’s for sure,” Ivanisevic told Tennis Majors in November.
Tennis World USA