Elena Rybakina spent just 90 seconds in her post-match press conference after getting off to a winning start at the US Open.
The world No. 4 uttered 87 words as she fielded questions about her recent split from long-time coach Stefano Vukov.
It comes a few months after her meetings with the media went viral during the French Open, where she asked for better questions and was later shunned by the press.
Rybakina survived a tight second set to beat Australian qualifier Destanee Aiava 6-1 7-6(1) in the first round of the US Open on Tuesday. It was just her second match in more than six weeks and her first outing on the court since announcing her coaching split with Vukov.
The news raised eyebrows in the tennis world given how soon before a Grand Slam they decided to part ways. So it came as no surprise that Rybakina received questions about the end of their partnership after beating Aiava.
But her post-match press conference was over almost as quickly as it started, lasting just a minute and a half as she gave few details about the state of her team. When the moderator asked Rybakina to assess her performance, she said: “Thank you. Yeah, really happy with the win and looking forward for the next match, of course.”
The focus quickly shifted to Vukov, as the Kazakh was quizzed over what it was like to play her first match without him in her corner. “Well, of course, it is different. We worked for five years, but still, I got support from Yuri Shchukin and same, we talked about the tactic and everything, so I was prepared for the match,” she replied.
Rybakina was then questioned over her decision to axe Vukov right before the US Open. She added: “Well, I don’t want to talk about it too much, but yeah, that was our decision, to split.”
Asked whether she was looking for a new voice or just wanted to change, the former Wimbledon champion said: “I will let you know, guys, if my coach situation is going to change, so…”
And she confirmed that she would wait until after the US Open finished to start that process, replying “yeah” twice. There were no more questions for Rybakina, who left after less than two minutes.
It’s not the first time Rybakina has kept her press conferences short and blunt. Following her first-round win at the French Open earlier this year, she gave sassy answers and added: “Simple question; simple answers. So, guys, something else?” After her next match, she was not requested to address the media. But there are still plenty of questions about her recent split with Vukov.
The 25-year-old announced the news in a brief Instagram story last Thursday. She wrote: “Hello Everyone, after 5 years, Stefano and I are no longer working together. I thank him for his work on-court and wish him all the best for the future. Thank you all for your support.”
