‘She stopped playing’: Coach fires back

‘She stopped playing’: Coach fires back

The coach of Australian Open finalist Elena Rybakina has fired again after being criticised for his aggressive teaching type from the field.

Stefano Vukov was proven on the published yelling at Rybakina at essential moments throughout her semi-final match towards Victoria Azarenka on Thursday evening.

Coaching is allowed for the primary time on the Australian Open this 12 months and a few, together with Vukov, have taken to the brand new guidelines with gusto.

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Rybakina didn’t serve out the primary set at 5-3 and was down 0-40 at 5-5 when Vukov was proven ripping into the 23-year-old and telling her to suppose.

The coach and participant have been working collectively since 2019 — together with Rybakina’s breakthrough Wimbledon win final 12 months — however the ugly footage on Thursday evening prompted a number of folks to name for Rybakina to finish their partnership.

But Vukov hit again on Friday when foxsports.com.au requested the coach if he wanted to raised management his feelings within the field.

“It’s easy to just take clips and then make something controversial. This is part of our sport, it’s normal,” he stated.

“There’s 10,000 people out there, to get the attention of the player is definitely not easy and people don’t understand that. I have to scream out something if she’s off track.

“People can interpret that how they want but at the end of the day we’re just doing our job. Coaching is now allowed and she’s using it in the best possible way.”

Vukov believes teaching from the field can have a huge effect on outcomes.

“I think with all the emotions, sometimes the player doesn’t understanding which situation of the match they are, which is absolutely normal,”

“You know, you’re flowing, you’re into a rhythm, which has happened also yesterday, for example, against Azarenka. A set, 3-1 up, two breakpoints. She stopped playing, Elena, for a couple of games, for example, instead of going for the point a little bit more.

“There is moments we try to remind her, Hey, this is the moment to push. This is the moment to defend.

“It’s normal. There are moments of the match the player doesn’t remember, for example, or in a pressure point, which side to defend more, where to serve more.

“We are there to remind them. So obviously I think that coaching is very important. I think that the player, if the player wants to listen, obviously, they should use it as much as possible, because there is some matches that a few points make the difference. Look at the beginning of yesterday. 3-2 down, two bad choices. That’s it. That’s it. She could have been 3-0 or 4-0 up.

“I don’t know, something like this. Not to be negative, but it’s just our job, right? That’s what we are there for.”

Despite the criticism from her field, Rybakina prevailed 7-6 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena to make her second main ultimate.

“I couldn’t get free points on my serve that easy like during the day when I played matches. I knew that I need to adjust,” Rybakina stated after the match.

“I was doing correct things. It was just a matter to be more focused on these important moments.”

Vukov has a tattoo of Rybakina after vowing to take action if she gained Wimbledon final 12 months, which she did in a comeback victory over Ons Jabeur.

In Melbourne, she has knocked out grand slam champions in three straight matches to make the ultimate.

Rybakina took down world No. 1 Iga Swiatek then 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko earlier than ousting two-win Australian Open winner Azarenka.

But Vukov confirmed there’s no wager on the road this time.

Originally printed as ‘She stopped playing’: Coach fires again at accusations

Source: www.news.com.au