“Told by a member of Rybakina’s team that he had been dismissed as her coach and to leave her alone, Vukov instead walked the lobby and hallways of her Manhattan hotel. He flooded her phone with text messages and more than 100 calls — according to sources with personal and professional relationships with Rybakina who were present at the hotel — as he sought another chance to convince Rybakina that her tennis career could not thrive without him.”
Her three-page summary also said that Vukov had verbally abused Rybakina during their time together, calling her “stupid” and “retarded” as saying that she would be “picking potatoes” without him.
According to the Athletic, WTA chief Portia Archer had also become concerned that Vukov was staying in Rybakina’s hotel room during the Australian Open, during a time that he was provisionally suspended and denied a credential into the tournament.
Archer’s three-page letter said there was evidence that they stayed in the same hotel room in Melbourne for the Australian Open and that “there is increasing evidence that you are now involved in a romantic relationship.”
Below are some of the points of Archer’s summary of Vukov’s misdeeds, which led to the WTA Tour suspending Vukov for one year on January 31st, and ordering him to take classes in appropriate coaching behavior.
“Engaging in abuse of authority and abusive conduct towards the WTA Player, including compromising or attempting to compromise the psychological, physical or emotional well-being of the Player; engaging in physical and verbal abuse of the Player; and, exploiting your relationship with the Player for further personal and/or business interests at the expense of the best interest of the Player.”
Rybakina is currently being coached by Davide Sanguinetti, who is currently in close contact with Vukov. Vukov has until February 21st to appeal his suspension.
