Elena Rybakina powered into the Indian Wells Open final after defeating Elina Svitolina in 1 hour and 46 minutes, setting up a marquee showdown with Aryna Sabalenka. The Kazakh star’s resurgence continues as she eyes a return to No. 2 when the new WTA rankings drop Monday. Yet amid these triumphs, the usually composed Rybakina stunned spectators by shouting toward her coach, Stefano Vukov, before her match against Svitolina.

During her quarterfinal match against Jessica Pegula at the BNP Paribas Open, Elena Rybakina found herself in a tense moment. She was trailing 3–4 in the first set. The pressure quickly began to build on the court.

The eighth game reached a dramatic moment at 40–40. At that point, a ball boy approached the court area. The brief interruption triggered an unexpected reaction. Suddenly, Rybakina shouted loudly. Her words were clear and direct. “Leave me alone.”

The moment immediately caught the attention of fans and viewers. Clips of the incident quickly spread across social media platforms. Many people began debating who the message was meant for.

Some fans believed the words were directed at the ball boy. Those critics argued the reaction appeared arrogant. Others strongly disagreed with that interpretation. Another group believed the message was aimed at her coach, Stefano Vukov. He was seen constantly animated in the stands during the match.

This was not the first time Vukov had been noticed shouting from the player box. Similar scenes have happened in previous tournaments.

Concerns about Vukov’s behavior first gained major attention at the Australian Open in 2024. During that tournament, he was seen shouting at Rybakina several times. The incidents sparked strong reactions among viewers.

One example came last year during a match at the US Open. Rybakina dominated Emma Raducanu with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. The match lasted just over an hour on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Throughout that contest, Vukov could be seen loudly supporting his player from the stands. Cameras repeatedly captured him shouting encouragement from Rybakina’s box. The appearance was notable because it was only his second event after a previous ban was lifted.

Another famous example came earlier at the Australian Open in 2023. The semifinal match featured Rybakina against Victoria Azarenka. It was a tense battle between two experienced competitors.

Rybakina looked ready to close the first set at 5–3. However, Azarenka fought back strongly. The set eventually moved into a tie-break.

At one point in the match, Rybakina was down 0–40 at 5–5. During that moment, Vukov was seen yelling and pointing at his head from the stands. The intense reaction quickly became a talking point.

Later, the coach addressed the criticism surrounding the moment. “People don’t understand that. I have to scream out something if she’s off track. Then people can interpret this how they want. But at the end of the day, we are just doing our job. Coaching is now allowed, and I think she’s using it in the best possible way.”

Despite these past controversies, Vukov’s animated presence in the player box continues to draw attention. His reactions during matches remain a frequent talking point among fans. Even earlier this January at the Australian Open, another similar incident led to fresh criticism from viewers.

Fans slam Stefano Vukov for shouting at Elena Rybakina at AO final

At the AO final earlier this year, Elena Rybakina’s coach Stefano Vukov once again drew attention for the wrong reasons. His animated presence in the player box quickly became a talking point during the match.

During the opening phase of the match, one fan even wrote, “Want sabalenka to win because I don’t want rybakina’s vukov partnership to be rewarded.” The comment reflected a wider frustration among some fans. Many questioned whether his style crossed the line.

Despite the criticism, Rybakina still managed to lift the title at the tournament. Her performance on the court remained strong despite the outside noise.

After the win, Andy Roddick shared his view on the partnership. He believed the relationship between Rybakina and Vukov had evolved. “I don’t know the dynamics of the interpersonal relationship. What I do know is that her best tennis has been played when Vukov is present.”

He also suggested that the tone of their communication may have improved. According to him, the partnership appears to have matured. “It seems like there has been a change in conversation and the stylings of those conversations.”

Rybakina herself defended her coach several times. She addressed the criticism directly on social media and backed his role in her career. “[Vukov] is a passionate coach, with a lot of knowledge about tennis. Unlike people that are making these comments, he has great knowledge about me as a person and as an athlete.”

She also made it clear that respect is central to their working relationship. “Those who know me well, will know that I would never accept a coach that didn’t respect me and all our hard work.” 

Now that Rybakina has reached the Indian Wells final, can her coach, Vukov, help guide the Kazakh to another title against Aryna Sabalenka?