Kazakh player Elena Rybakina stunned World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6(0), and won the WTA Finals for the first time, her biggest trophy since Wimbledon 2022. After the match, the 26-year-old Kazakh player refused to take a photo with Portia Archer, CEO of the women's tennis governing body, standing several meters away from the executive, a moment caught by cameras.
The reason why she chose not to take a photo with Archer is the disagreement with the decision behind the banning of her coach, Stefano Vukov, accused of mistreatment towards Rybakina. The manner in which he spoke to her on and off court at tournaments had come under scrutiny, with many observing how disrespectful he seemed, and an independent investigation was launched, resulting in him being suspended from all tennis associations (from WTA, ATP, ITF), meaning he was not allowed to enter any tournament.
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Rybakina, however, denied that Vukov mistreated her, saying she did not agree with "a lot of things" WTA was saying in rewards with her working relationship with Vukov. "As I said before, I have never made any complaints or any of these things. I always said that he never mistreated me", she said during Australian Open last year. Rybakina ended her partnership with Rukov in August last year, but decided to work together again in February this year, after the provisional suspension that still remains on him.
She says that she is still in contact with Vukov and still work together remotely, even if she has a new coach. The disagreement with WTA's decision to uphold to the suspension caused Rybakina to snub the WTA CEO in one of the biggest accomplishments of her career.