Elena Rybakina’s coach releases statement on Instagram confirming that he has left her team

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Elena Rybakina has somewhat struggled to really get going in 2025, but coaching changes may be a major reason why.

Rybakina split with Goran Ivanisevic after the Australian Open, having only just hired him ahead of the 2025 season.

Another coach in Stefano Vukov meanwhile was not allowed to accompany Rybakina in Melbourne after being provisionally suspended by the WTA for a potential breach of conduct.

That suspension has since been made official, with Rybakina making another change in Abu Dhabi last month with the addition of Davide Sanguinetti.

Rybakina reached the semi-finals in Abu Dhabi, in what was her first tournament since she fell in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

Elena Rybakina’s fitness coach confirms he has left her team

She lost to eventual champions Madison Keys and Belinda Bencic respectively, before falling to Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open.

The 2022 Wimbledon champion then lost to another eventual champion at the Dubai Tennis Championships, with Mirra Andreeva winning their semi-final match.

READ MORE: The ‘miracle’ that happened before Elena Rybakina played Madison Keys at the Australian Open

And she now has yet another coaching change to deal with, with fitness trainer Azuz Simcich confirming his departure, having worked with Rybakina since the end of 2022.

“After an incredible journey alongside Elena, it’s time to move on,” Simcich wrote on his Instagram story. “I’m deeply grateful for the experiences, challenges, and unforgettable moments we shared. Wishing you nothing but success and happiness in your future endeavours.”

What WTA titles has world number seven Elena Rybakina won?

Rybakina has impressively reached the latter stages of various tournaments in recent times amid many coaching changes.

But she will need some form of stability sooner rather than later if she truly wants to get back to her very best, with Rybakina having had a great chance of Australian Open success, only to fall well short.

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini all confirmed for WTA 500 event in April

She impressively reached number three in the WTA rankings back in June 2023, but has since dropped to seventh place.

Along with winning Wimbledon in 2022, she lost the 2023 Australian Open final to Aryna Sabalenka, with another chance of Grand Slam success now arriving soon in the form of the French Open.

And while the Kazakhstan star is an eight-time WTA Tour champion, her most recent triumph arrived in Stuttgart back in April 2024.

The new season has, of course, only just started, but 2025 does feel like it may be a crucial one for the career of the world number seven.