Goran Ivanisevic reveals his two early goals for partnership with Elena Rybakina are making the Kazakh more willing to go to the net but also showing a bit more emotion on the court.
Before the world No. 6 took part in the World Tennis League between December 19-22, she spent a month working with her new coach in Dubai.
On Friday, they also officially kicked off their partnership on the WTA Tour as the Kazakh ousted Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2 6-3 at the United Cup.
During the match, Ivanisevic was interviewed on Tennis Channel and asked if there was anything specific he was working on with Rybakina.
"A little bit on the serve. Trying to push her to come to the net more. She has a big game and can finish the point much earlier than she was usually doing. It's a process. She needs to put in her head that she can play more aggressively, come to the net, and finish some points with the volleys," the 2001 Wimbledon champion said on Tennis Channel.
Ivanisevic: I want Rybakina to be more emotional but I don't want to see her breaking rackets
The Croatian, who worked with Novak Djokovic for six years and heard it from the Serb numerous times when things weren't going well on the court, also shared that he would like to see the 25-year-old show more emotion on the court - but not in extreme ways.
Definitely not going to see her breaking rackets, but hopefully, she does show more emotion. She's a very different person and very calm. But l've been trying to put some emotion and I think it's going to help her game," Ivanisevic noted.
Rybakina, who turns 26 in June, has never been one to display much emotion or reaction during matches.
It will be interesting to see if Ivanisevic can change that, at least a bit.
