Ice Queen Elena Rybakina Gives WTA CEO the Cold Shoulder After Dominating WTA Finals
Elena Rybakina just capped off an incredible run, steamrolling world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to snatch the WTA Finals title in Riyadh. It should have been a moment of pure triumph. Instead, the tennis world is buzzing about a moment so awkward it could freeze a desert. During the trophy presentation, Rybakina served up the ultimate ice-queen snub to WTA CEO Portia Archer, and the drama is juicier than a courtside scandal.
An Awkward Trophy Presentation
After a stunning 6-3, 7-6(0) victory over Sabalenka, Rybakina was all smiles posing with her opponent. But when WTA CEO Portia Archer tried to join the photo-op, things got frosty. Rybakina simply walked away, creating a painfully awkward gap. She was called back, but a dismissive hand gesture and a swift turn away made her message crystal clear: “You can have this picture, but you can’t have it with me.”
When pressed about the snub in her post-match conference, Rybakina played it coy, saying she wanted to “keep the reason between her and the WTA chief.” But let’s be real, you don’t need to be a tennis insider to connect the dots. This drama has roots, and they lead straight back to the controversial suspension of her coach, Stefano Vukov.
The Vukov Saga: Why Rybakina is Mad
The whole mess started back in 2023 when Vukov’s intense coaching style came under fire. Critics called his methods overly harsh, but Rybakina stood by her man. Fast forward to 2024, and the WTA stepped in, provisionally suspending Vukov right before the US Open pending an investigation.
Rybakina’s on-court performance tanked. She struggled for form, and the frustration was obvious.
In early 2025, the WTA dropped the hammer: a 12-month suspension for Vukov. CEO Portia Archer didn’t mince words, calling his behavior a contradiction to the “safe environment” the tour strives for and bluntly stating, “It’s clear to me you have a toxic relationship.” Ouch.
Vukov appealed, and by August, his suspension was overturned, allowing him to reunite with Rybakina. But the damage was done. The WTA had, in Rybakina’s eyes, wrongly targeted her coach and meddled in her career. That kind of bad blood doesn’t just evaporate. Her snub in Riyadh wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment mood swing; it was a statement. And it was loud.
Pam Shriver Enters the Chat, Gets Roasted
Of course, the drama didn’t stop there. Tennis legend and commentator Pam Shriver decided to weigh in on X (formerly Twitter), and it went about as well as you’d expect.
“Imagine winning more prize money in one tournament than the entire Original Nine over their collective careers, then dissing WTA CEO because the CEO has tried to ensure stronger safeguards in your sports… it’s hard to imagine,” she wrote.
The internet was not having it. Fans rushed to Rybakina’s defense, with one user replying, “Pam, I would have expected better from you here. If you believe Rybakina, her coach was wrongly accused. If you don’t, then she’s reunited w/ a coach who’s abused her. Neither scenario lends itself to a good relationship w/ the WTA right now. She needs prayers, not scorn.”
This wasn’t Shriver’s first rodeo criticizing the Rybakina-Vukov dynamic. She had previously called for the sport to “stand up to known abuse and cult like manipulations.” Rybakina had already fired back at the 2025 Australian Open, pointing out that Shriver had never spoken to her personally and that it wasn’t fair to make such comments from the sidelines.
Rybakina’s Revenge Tour is Just Beginning
After reuniting with Vukov, Rybakina found her form again, and it’s been nothing short of spectacular. She’s currently on an 11-match winning streak, culminating in this massive WTA Finals victory. She’s letting her racquet do the talking, and her message is clear: she and her coach are back, and they’re a force to be reckoned with.
The relationship with the WTA, however, remains fractured. When asked if she’d tried to clear the air, Rybakina was blunt: “We had the opportunity to have conversations but in the end it never happened so we’re all doing our job and I think we’re going to keep it this way.”
Translation: Don’t expect any friendly photo-ops anytime soon. Rybakina won the title, made her point, and reminded everyone that on and off the court, she’s not one to be messed with.
