Grand Slam doubles legend Rennae Stubbs thinks Stefano Vukov's return to Elena Rybakina's team would also mean the end of the Kazakh's partnership with Goran Ivanisevic because the latter would "not stand being a part of a dysfunctional relationship."
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Last week, the 2022 Wimbledon winner announced through Instagram that she was bringing back her former coach to her team for the 2025 season.
But there is a catch - the WTA is currently conducting an investigation into Vukov over the possibility of him breaching the association's conduct - and he is not allowed to officially coach until at least the investigation concludes.
According to The Athletic, Ivanisevic was left "blindsided" when he heard about Rybakina's intention to bring back the 37-year-old to the team.
And Stubbs - who worked with Serena Williams during the American's 2022 farewell - is sure that Novak Djokovic's former coach would not agree to remain a part of the team if Vukov was cleared to return.
Stubbs: If Vukov returns to Rybakina's team, Ivanisevic won't be going to stick around for that
"Clearly she is struggling with this relationship with him, whatever that may be, and wanting to bring him back. I can tell you right now, Goran's not going to stand for it," the former doubles world No. 1 said on the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.
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"Absolutely not. If you want to be in a dysfunctional relationship, that's on you, but for someone like Goran, he's not going to stick around for that."
Meanwhile, the 2001 Wimbledon winner didn't deny rumors that he was unhappy with the 25-year-old's move and hinted that their collaboration could soon end.
I am, for the moment, here. What's going to happen in a couple of days, I don't know. But for the moment, I am here. Hopefully I will stay, and hopefully everything is going to be OK. But let's take day by day," Ivanisevic told Bounces.
The WTA's investigation into Vukov could conclude as early as this week.
