World No. 5 Elena Rybakina has employed Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic for the 2025 season, she stated Friday.
Djokovic ended a five-year partnership in March with Ivanisevic, who helped Djokovic declare 9 of his 24 Grand Slam titles. Ivanisevic was the Wimbledon champion in 2001 when he grew to become the primary wild card to win a significant event.
Rybakina, 25, will begin working with Ivanisevic throughout the preseason. The 2022 Wimbledon champion break up from her long-time coach Stefano Vukov simply days earlier than the US Open.
“I am actually trying ahead to this partnership,” Rybakina advised reporters forward of the WTA Finals, which start Saturday in Riyadh. “I feel he is an excellent champion and he has a lot expertise, and I am trying ahead to beginning.
“For me, it was necessary to get higher, and with the assistance of the brokers, we related and we simply determined to start out working. … In fact, it is a massive change, however I feel it should be change.”
Ivanisevic wrote on Instagram: “Enthusiastic about coming again on Tour. This time, it is time for some WTA motion. Blissful to affix your group Elena Rybakina.”
Rybakina loved loads of success within the first half of 2024, successful titles in Brisbane, Abu Dhabi and Stuttgart, however missed a number of tournaments on account of sickness and damage.
After reaching the Wimbledon semifinals, she withdrew from the Paris Olympics on account of bronchitis and pulled out of the US Open in August on account of a decrease again damage after successful her opening match.
Rybakina begins her WTA Finals marketing campaign in opposition to fourth-ranked Jasmine Paolini.