Women's Australian Open Relationship

Elena Rybakina won the 2026 Australian Open women’s title on Saturday with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory over world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. The win was big for her. It was her second Grand Slam title after Wimbledon 2022 and gave her a major boost in rankings and confidence. She played well under pressure, keeping her cool even when Sabalenka seemed in control.

The backstory to Rybakina’s win is worth a bit of closer examination:

The tennis world has always been replete with ambitious and pushy parents, and many successful players have complained about the pressure they come under from all directions and particularly from those who have driven them (in more ways than one!) to the success they have achieved. In Rybakina’s case the history of her relationship with her coach Stefano Vukov, on and off the court, has been a subject of debate.

Vukov has been in and out of her camp for years and was suspended by the WTA in 2025 for a year after a code-of-conduct investigation. He was accused of mental abuse and pushing her to her physical limits, to the extent that she became unwell, at one point telling her that she would be back in Russia picking potatoes if not for him. While banned from working with her, during her stay in New York for the US Open, he was said to have bombarded her phone with text messages and called her phone 100 times, shortly after which she relented and took him back as her coach.

Their past working relationship has often been described as difficult, the power dynamic between the two having classic sub-dom undertones. Rybakina has defended her coach against the charges, saying he never mistreated her. Reports also raised questions about how closely they worked together during his suspension period, with stories of the two sharing hotel rooms after which it was subsequently admitted by Rybakina that they were in a romantic relationship. 

In the final on Saturday, some observers noted that Vukov’s presence and tone in Rybakina’s player box drew attention during tense moments. Facing a 3-0 deficit in the third set, at 30-30 she received some stern, forceful words from Vukov and proceeded to hold her serve in that game with an ace and then, on the next point, another strong serve down the middle that Sabalenka returned into the net. The tactical instructions she got during those big points, and the way they were delivered, appear to have been crucial to her subsequent play. After that game Rybakina concentrated on her own performance. She settled down and refocused, shifting her serve and baseline play, and then went on to win 5 straight games and the match, clinching the championship with an ace.

In the end, Rybakina's impressive ability to stay composed and make key adjustments under pressure helped lock in the win. How much of this victory, and her recent tennis, was down to the influence of her coach, and his methods, is open to debate. But it was undoubtably a hard-fought title that showed what she can do when the pressure is on, and not just from her opponents on the court!