No.1s Sinner, Swiatek stage Cincy fightbacks as Zverev escapes

ABU DHABI: Elena Rybakina has added Italian former player Davide Sanguinetti to her coaching staff and has reiterated her displeasure at the WTA’s decision to provisionally suspend her coach Stefano Vukov for allegedly breaching the tour’s Code of Conduct.

Rybakina ended her trial period with Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic following her fourth-round exit from the Australian Open last month and has brought in Sanguinetti to accompany her at tournaments and work with Vukov, who is banned from all sanctioned events pending the WTA’s investigation into his conduct.

Sanguinetti is with Rybakina this week in Abu Dhabi, where the world number five is the top seed and defending champion.

The 2022 Wimbledon winner says she has not been notified by the WTA about a date for the conclusion of the investigation and insists the situation “was not handled well”.

“I don’t know much. It’s a situation I’m not happy with. But it is what it is but for now I don’t know much,” Rybakina told AFP at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open on Sunday.

“I think safeguarding is important but the case with what happened with us I don’t think it was handled well.”

Vukov told The Athletic that he “never abused anyone” and Rybakina feels she is not being heard.

“In the end of the day, I think you need to listen to the player, that’s the most important. Because as I said before there are a lot of comments from people which are also in our environment but they’re making comments not knowing me, not knowing him, and it’s just making a bad look for everyone.”

Rybakina says the coaching partnership with Ivanisevic was on a trial basis and the decision for them to part ways after just a couple of months of working together was mutual.

“We just sat down, we talked, and we decided to go our separate ways. But I think I learned a lot and it’s not easy to find a good collaboration,” explained the 25-year-old Kazakh.

“It of course takes time and everything but that was our decision. We’ll see how this year goes for me. I’m also not such an easy player maybe like some people think, ‘Oh it’s easy with her’, or something, but it’s not really like this.

“I think every person is different and there is no one who is perfect. I can be sometimes stubborn on the court, stubborn on some things, that’s at least my honest opinion.”

While Vukov is banned from joining Rybakina at tournaments, she says they are “communicating of course” and that he and Sanguinetti are always in contact, and spent some time together with her at a recent training block in Dubai post-Australian Open.

“He’s an important person in my career. We started when I was like 200 [in the world]. So it’s a lot of things, on the court, outside of the court, he’s helping out with,” she said of Vukov, who began coaching her when she was a teenager.

“I feel like of course it’s not ideal that he cannot be on the practice courts but at the same time we are finding a way also with help of Davide, his opinion. I hope it’s going to work out. We have a good team in the end of the day.”

Rybakina headlines a competitive field at the WTA 500 tournament in Abu Dhabi that also includes recent Australian Open semi-finalist Paula Badosa, world number 11 Daria Kasatkina, Tunisian star Ons Jabeur, and British wildcard Emma Raducanu.

Main draw action kicks off on Monday with the final taking place on Saturday February 8.

ABU DHABI: The third edition of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open begins on Saturday at Zayed Sports City. Arab News spoke to Tournament Director Nigel Gupta about this year’s event, the return of fan favorite Ons Jabeur and the growth of tennis in the region.

• On the start of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open

“We are now only a few days away from the start of the tournament and, naturally, there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to ensure everything is ready for when the first fans walk through the gates.

“As you can imagine, with events of this size and magnitude, the preparations begin almost as soon as the previous year’s tournament ends. It’s a huge operation, but thankfully we have a fantastic team of dedicated staff who are working collectively to bring it all together.

“The event is now in its third year, and you obviously learn lessons from previous editions, which helps in terms of planning. The biggest difference for 2025 is the new-look Mubadala Tennis Village which, at 15,000 sq. meters, is double the size of previous years. It’s a massive area packed full of [activities and food and beverage] vendors, along with the main stage which is where the draw ceremony and live music performances will take place.”

• On the strength of the line-up in Abu Dhabi

“It’s a very strong field and we are delighted many of the world’s best female players will be taking part in this year’s tournament.

“Elena Rybakina, the reigning champion, is returning to defend her crown, while Daria Kasatkina, who was last year’s beaten finalist, will also be back hoping to go one step further this time.

“Ons Jabeur, a big fan favorite in the region, continues her comeback after missing a large chunk of last season through injury and, as always, I’m sure she will receive fantastic support.

“We also have Belinda Bencic, who won the inaugural Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in 2023, Paula Badosa, fresh from reaching the semifinals at the recent Australian Open, Marketa Vondrousova, winner of Wimbledon in 2023, and Beatriz Haddad Maia, who has reached the semifinal stage two years in a row.

“We have a great mix of experienced stars and young talented prospects, which include the US’s Ashlyn Krueger and Japan’s Wakana Sonobe, who only last weekend won the girls’ singles title at the Australian Open.

• On fan favorite Ons Jabeur of Tunisia

“It’s obviously brilliant, given her profile in the Middle East, to have Ons involved, particularly as she missed a large part of last season through injury. She is hugely popular with the fans, which we saw at last year’s event, but more importantly she is a brilliant player who brings so much quality to the tournament.

“The event continues to grow, and we want the best players competing. Ons undoubtedly fits that bill and we’re looking forward to watching her in action.”

• On Jabeur inspiring a generation of young Arab players

“Ons has a huge profile in this part of the world and it’s certainly something she takes very seriously. She has spoken about this previously and there is no doubt she sets a fantastic example through her professionalism, quality and all-round approach to the game.

“The popularity of tennis in the Middle East across all age groups is growing, which we have seen first-hand through our Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open Schools Program, where we go into schools in Abu Dhabi to educate youngsters about the sport in a fun and interactive way.

“Ons has played a huge part in this growth through both her performances on-court and the manner in which she conducts herself away from the game. What we want to see moving forward is the next generation of Arab stars following her lead, coming through and making an impact in the sport.”

• On Emma Raducanu joining as a wild card

“We’re obviously delighted a player of Emma’s caliber and standing will be competing at the event. It’s fantastic for us to announce another Grand Slam winner, particularly coming so close to the start of the tournament.

“Emma is an exciting talent and it’s easy to forget she is still only 22. Naturally, winning the US Open at the age of 18 propelled her into the global media spotlight, which obviously brings its own challenges, but she is a fantastic player, and we are looking forward to watching her in action when she plays her first match on Saturday.

“She proved hugely popular with the fans last time, and I’m sure they will be thrilled she is returning, particularly [as] tickets for the opening two days of the tournament are completely free of charge. It’s not often you get the opportunity to watch a Grand Slam winner in action at no cost, so this really is something special.”

• On the evolution of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open

“It’s been an upward trajectory since our maiden event in 2023, with the tournament growing in size and stature year on year.

The tournament continues to make a huge impact on the local community through initiatives such as the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open Schools Program, where assemblies are taking place across 50 schools in Abu Dhabi.

“We are also hosting assemblies in five universities, as well as staging Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open-themed roadshows at 10 locations in the capital. Our Chair Umpire Program, meanwhile, is a fantastic initiative for aspiring officials.

“Additionally, the Road to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open is a community initiative developed by Mubadala in partnership with the UAE Tennis Federation, which provides a pathway for aspiring players across the UAE to elevate their game. Tournaments have been taking place in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah, with the finals held as part of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open. Among the prizes is an all-expenses-paid trip to train at the prestigious Juan Carlos Ferrero Academy in Spain, where Carlos Alcaraz honed his skills.”

• On the growth of tennis in the Middle East

“The region is hosting more events than ever before, which is pivotal for the long-term development of the sport. The increased number of tournaments is obviously great for fans based here, who now have multiple opportunities to watch the biggest stars in action.

“For example, the week after the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open ends, there is the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, and then the Dubai Duty Free Championship begins. With further events taking place across the region over the course of the year, it’s a very exciting period.”