$5.3bn man behind AO champ’s big switch… and her controversial coach who came back from ban

Born in Moscow but playing for Kazakhstan, Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina once said that “I don’t live anywhere, to be honest”.

One place she does feel very much at home however is the tennis court, and particularly Melbourne’s hard courts.

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The big-serving 26-year-old upset world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 4-6 6-4 in Saturday’s title decider, a rematch of the 2023 final.

On that occasion the Belarusian fought back to win in three sets and deny Rybakina a second Grand Slam crown, the Kazakh having triumphed on the grass at Wimbledon a few months earlier.

This time Rybakina displayed her trademark cool to earn revenge.

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Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several women players from Russia have changed allegiance to other countries.

But Rybakina’s switch to play under the Kazakh flag happened in 2018 when she was a little-known 19-year-old at 175 in the world.

Never the most comfortable or expressive in front of the media, she quickly became tired of questions about it as her rise to prominence began.

“They believed in me. There is no more question about how I feel,” Rybakina said when quizzed about representing Kazakhstan on her run to the Wimbledon title in 2022.

It was a contentious issue then because Russian and Belarusian players were barred from Wimbledon over the war.

And yet there was Rybakina, from Moscow and to become Wimbledon champion. Asked how much time she spent in the Russian capital — where her parents were — she swerved the question and said she trained in Slovakia and Dubai.

“So I don’t live anywhere, to be honest,” said Rybakina, who started playing tennis aged five and trained at the renowned Spartak Club in Moscow as a junior.

The road from Russia to Kazakhstan was facilitated by the long-standing president of the Kazakhstan tennis federation, Bulat Utemuratov.

According to Forbes, the powerful businessman has a personal net worth of $3.7 billion ($AU5.3 billion).

Utemuratov was in Rybakina’s box to see her win Wimbledon.

Speaking in Melbourne, Rybakina said the change to Kazakhstan came when she had just finished school and was trying to decide whether to study in the United States or continue playing professional tennis.

“It was of course not easy financially,” said the fifth seed. “I remember I played WTA tournaments. I had great results. They saw me, and that’s basically how we found each other.”

Shy but a powerful hitter on court, Rybakina was in the spotlight again 12 months ago for non-tennis reasons.

Rybakina had wanted to bring her on-off Croatian coach Stefano Vukov back into her team for the Melbourne major.

But Vukov, who helped Rybakina win Wimbledon, was under a provisional suspension over a potential breach of the WTA’s code of conduct.

Vukov was reported to have used harsh and abusive behaviour towards players, claims he denied.

The New York Times reported Rybakina and Vukov, 12 years her senior, stayed in the same hotel room during the 2025 Australian Open while he was banned and cited multiple sources claiming their relationship had become romantic.

Vukov began working with Rybakina when she was 19.

At the 2024 US Open, the report alleged, Vukov was “told by a member of Rybakina’s team that he had been dismissed as her coach and to leave her alone.

“Vukov instead walked the lobby and hallways of her Manhattan hotel. He flooded her phone with text messages and more than 100 calls — according to sources with personal and professional relationships with Rybakina who were present at the hotel — as he sought another chance to convince Rybakina that her tennis career could not thrive without him.”

He was also her coach as she won in Melbourne, being awarded a trophy during the post-match ceremony.

Rybakina was exasperated by the allegations and suspension.

“I always said that he never mistreated me,” she said at the time.

Vukov was back in Rybakina’s corner at the US Open last year, after the ban preventing him from entering all WTA tournament venues was lifted in August.

“The WTA is fully committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all athletes and other participants, as set out in our WTA code of conduct and safeguarding code,” the tour said in a statement.

“Any sanctions issued following a breach of these safeguarding rules are carefully considered and are subject to appeal before an independent tribunal.

“While case details remain confidential, we can confirm that Mr Vukov is eligible to receive credentials at WTA events.”

On the court Rybakina, who is six feet tall (1.84 metres), has a booming serve and the kind of power that made Saturday’s final against Sabalenka a blockbuster.

She sent down 47 aces in the tournament, easily more than any other women’s player.

In addition to that, the American Jessica Pegula, beaten by Rybakina in the semi-finals, said it was her icy demeanour which made her so formidable.

Pegula described the inscrutable Rybakina as “cool as a cucumber”.

“She’s always just tough. You know, she’s so chill. She doesn’t really give you anything,” said Pegula after going down in straight sets.

“You’re not really sure if she’s upset or if she’s excited or what it is. “I think in today’s game that goes a long way.”