NEW YORK:
Elena Rybakina stated her reunion with controversial coach Stefano Vukov has boosted her US Open marketing campaign after she demolished Britain’s Emma Raducanu to succeed in the fourth spherical on Friday.
The Moscow-born ninth seed from Kazakhstan — whose earlier finest end in New York was a pair of third spherical appearances — blitzed Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 in simply over an hour on the Louis Armstrong Stadium court docket.
Vukov might be seen shouting his assist from Rybakina’s field all through the match, in what is barely his second occasion since a ban stopping him from getting into all WTA event venues was lifted earlier this month.
“I by no means had any points with him, so for me, as I stated, it is simply good to see him within the field,” Rybakina stated. “Undoubtedly helps loads, it is essential when the entire workforce can assist you.”
Vukov was fired by Rybakina simply earlier than final 12 months’s US Open, however subsequently bombarded her with requests to return which left her fearing for her security in response to particulars of a WTA investigation reported by The Athletic.
Vukov was banned for a 12 months in January after the WTA dominated he had engaged in “abuse of authority and abusive behaviour” in the direction of Rybakina.
Nevertheless Rybakina subsequently reunited with the Croat, who returned to courtside on the Cincinnati Open after efficiently interesting towards his suspension.
Friday’s victory over Raducanu sends Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, into the fourth spherical of the US Open for the primary time.
Rybakina stated her marketing campaign in New York has additionally been boosted by a return to full health. She fought an extended battle with insomnia which left her immune system compromised, and he or she missed a lot of the second half of the 2024 season.
“I had large points with insomnia, like 2023, the entire 12 months was fairly robust for me,” she stated, including that lack of sleep had additionally dogged her in 2024.
“However now it is significantly better. Now I’ve no points, which I am fairly blissful about,” she stated.
Rybakina will face one other former Wimbledon champion within the fourth spherical within the form of the Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova. Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon winner, upset Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini 7-6 (7/4), 6-1.
