To be honest, this "good news" for Rybakina does not want to make me root for her anymore anyway. I'm kind of done with Rybakina and her insipid play which lacks energy from the first point to the last, match after match.

 

Surely, the ban won't be lifted with a simple "he's eligible now, case closed".

 

It alaready happend. That's the NYT news item. The case is literally closed.

It's up to Rybakina to ban Vukov.

 

Vukova is gonna Vukova.

 

If that's what she wants then that's what she wants. If the worst suspicions pan out then she doesn't have any reason to complain

Deuces and let's move on.

 

It's good that this limbo situation is over and Elena is now allowed to employ him the way she wants.

It felt to me all along like the facts reported did not justify a suspension The WTA overstepped to try to make a political statement.

 

Elena is now allowed to employ him the way she wants.

She certainly seems to be doing just that, in every way imaginable....

 

To be honest, the ban was only ceremonial anyway given how she was break the rules to circumvent it so it is what it is. It does not make me any more enthused about her recent play nor do I think she is going to be "back" but hey nothing I can do right. No I don't think this absolves Vukov in any capacity though no doubt you will see some try to press that narrative.

Probably means her puppet coach is out, I won't miss him either so whatever.

 

To be honest, the ban was only ceremonial anyway given how she was break the rules to circumvent it so it is what it is. It does not make me any more enthused about her recent play nor do I think she is going to be "back" but hey nothing I can do right. No I don't think this absolves Vukov in any capacity though no doubt you will see some try to press that narrative.

Probably means her puppet coach is out, I won't miss him either so whatever.

Said it before, happy to say it again. Sanguinetti should look at himself in the mirror. He has no convictions, just wants the paycheck.

 

All of this aside though, on a psychological level I really am fascinated with the relationship Elena has with her fans. Feels like most of us would love to see the back of Vukov but she doubles down almost as a counter to what the fans want. I feel like it's a very troubled relationship between fan and player in her case, moreover than any other tennis player I can think of. To the point where, and I don't agree with doing this for the record, I feel like there are going to be cases where a genuine fan will be actively rooting for her to lose matches while still being able to claim they're her fan.

I really haven't seen anything quite like it in that regard. And I'm sure she's aware of it.

 

I don't think Elena has much fans anymore.

She might attract the nutters only now.

Tennis tournaments though have many casual "fans" and people who just like going to live events. It is possible a large number of people in the stadiums are not even aware of the situation.

 

I mean it works for Bencic and Petra but ok…

 

Bencics partner and husband is her fitness coach, but not her tennis coach.

 

People can dislike Vukov all they want, but this ban was bullshit from the beginning. They never had the player's best interests in mind. And in the end, all they did was screwing Elena up mentally more than Vukov ever did. I wonder when Pam Schriver & Co. will ban themselves.

 

The whole thing was a farce. They don't care about the player's wellbeing, they just wanted to virtue signal.

 

This "drama" shouldnt be a drama at all... Its up to players who they decide to employ and why...

 

That was not the issue, nobody ever said he couldn't be employed by her.

But you can't behave anyway you want and still be granted an access pass to tournament grounds etc.

 

In all if this drama Rama, no one has mentioned Davide Sangunetti (her current coach officially).
Was one of my favourite Italian tennis players back then, wonder what will happen with him.
Will he be sent back to Italy to pick potatoes 🥔🥔?

 

I think he was a sham coach 🤣

 

Now time for Iga, Aryna and Coco to be scared. Rybakina going for a tennis domination.

 

It'll be interesting to see if Rybakina's withdrawals and illnesses start up once again, because this year she's been fairly healthy and I don't recall her withdrawing from any tournaments in 2025. So maybe the ban did help her in someway.

 

It helped her immensly, she's gone from being WTA 3 to WTA 10 and didn't make slam QF in a year.

Yay.

 

Has anyone checked in on Pam Shriver?

 

Rennae Stubbs will no doubt be voicing her opinion.

 

Not the "virtue signalling" comments again. It's been explained dozens of times and yet people still don't understand that he wasn't banned simply for behaving badly towards her, he was banned for breaking the WTA's code of conduct. They are a workplace, and most workplaces have one you have to abide by.

 

Exactly. The WTA had a responsibility for all their players, even if Elena wants to hire him. Emotional abuse is not something they should allow to happen and just because it happened in the past, doesn't make it right to continue.

 

That D is back to her box and nothing change, still midgetting out there against zarazua

 

That D is back to her box and nothing change, still midgetting out there against zarazua

Most important takeaway

 

 

Well, sounds like nothing really solid that WTA can find on Vukov.
Vekic and Pam in ruins.

 

Wonderful news. Welcome back, Stefano!

 

Welcome back, Stefano! Awesome close wins for Elena since his return. The whole matter was much ado about nothing, inflamed by the likes of the wacky Pam Shriver. The end.

 

These are standards for the WTA.

 

All abuser victims here reported how their abusers essentially caused their careers go down, while in this case he clearly helps her to move up. She likely belongs to people who get pushed by stress, or needs that irritating/maddening factor, and that's exactly what he does to her when yelling or scolding her. She is playing her best tennis now.

 

She is playing her best tennis now.

She's dropped the first set in every match she's played at Cinci, even to Zarazua. It's been good enough, but not her best by any measure.

 

So from what I understand, he appealed and won the appeal.
Basically an independent committee cleared him from violating the 'WTA code of conduct'.
So hopefully we can lay this shitfest to rest now and let an adult woman make her adult decisions.

 

She looks miserable on court with that mope back in the box

 

But she's winning. TBF always considered her overrated, ppl claiming she's "better than Gauff" (lol), or at "Swiatek/Sabalenka level (lolx2)" I considered laughable, but her best achievements- regardless if it's asterrisked Wimbledon in 2022, or near-sunshine-double in 2023, or leading (or second-leading) in race in 2024 for few weeks at beginning of the season- it was ALL with that dude in the box. At worst, he's not deterrent, at best- he really helps...