"I worked my way up until Elena Rybakina" - Vukov on his coaching career

Stefano Vukov is the coach of one of the most successful players in the 2020 season, Elena Rybakina and now he spoke about his coaching career.

Elena Rybakina enjoyed a lot of success during the 2020 season when she lost only 4 of the 25 matches she played. Besides her skill and will, she can thank also her coach. Stefano Vukov is coaching Elena since 2019, and now he spoke to WTA Insider about his career.

"I worked with Saschia Vickery, Renata Zarazua, Anhelina Kalenina. I remember Sofia Kenin when she was young. She was always coming to the academy when we were working. Coco Gauff, I remember when she was 10 years old. So I've seen quite a bit. I had the pleasure to work with a lot of coaches around, absorb a lot of information. Only women's tennis. Never came to my mind to work in the men's. Who knows, one day, we never know. I worked my way up until Elena [Rybakina], I think I was ready to get a player from scratch and build from there," said Vukov.

"I believe in hard work, I believe in working smart, I believe in trying to adapt to the player, not only have the player adapt to you. Specifically, just to have the confidence to be able to admit that you need a team around yourself, that you cannot do everything by yourself. You have to touch various areas that maybe are not in your knowledge. Nutrition, fitness, you cannot do everything yourself. I think teamwork also is very important. It's not only an individual sport - for them on the court it is - but outside, definitely, you need people to help you. I think that tennis is changing, that the girls are starting to get a lot from men's tennis, especially approaching the net, slices, drop shots. Things have been changing. And I think it's good. A lot of rising stars are coming, on the way, I think," Vukov said.