In a significant move ahead of the **2025 season**, **Elena Rybakina** has announced that she will be joining forces with **Goran Ivanisevic** as her new coach. The Croatian tennis legend, best known for his **Wimbledon** triumph in 2001, is eager to work with the **World No. 5** and has already begun preparations for their partnership, which aims to elevate Rybakina’s game and help her achieve even more success on the WTA Tour.
The decision to bring Ivanisevic on board is seen as a major step for Rybakina, who has established herself as one of the top players on the women’s circuit over the past few years. While she has already achieved significant milestones, including winning **Wimbledon** in 2022, Rybakina and Ivanisevic believe there is still more untapped potential in her game, particularly in her ability to win additional Grand Slam titles.
### Rybakina’s Wimbledon Glory and Ivanisevic’s Legendary Triumph
The pairing between Rybakina and Ivanisevic is particularly noteworthy given that both players have won **Wimbledon** in their careers. Rybakina claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at **Wimbledon** in 2022, defeating **Ons Jabeur** in a thrilling final, while Ivanisevic won his only Grand Slam title at the same tournament in **2001**, famously defeating **Pat Rafter** in a thrilling five-set final.
What makes Ivanisevic’s victory even more special is that he triumphed at Wimbledon as a **wildcard entry**, ranked **125th** in the world. His win was one of the most remarkable in tennis history, underscoring his resilience and ability to perform at the highest level, even when the odds were stacked against him.
Similarly, Rybakina’s rise to the top of women’s tennis has been marked by her powerful game and composed performances on the biggest stages. Her **Wimbledon 2022** victory and subsequent success at **the Australian Open** in 2023, where she reached the final before falling to **Aryna Sabalenka**, solidified her place as a major force on the WTA Tour.
### A New Partnership: Goran Ivanisevic’s Expectations for Rybakina
Ivanisevic, who has had a storied coaching career, including stints with **Novak Djokovic**, **Tomas Berdych**, and **Marin Čilić**, is excited about the opportunity to work with Rybakina. In a recent interview with **Tennis Majors**, Ivanisevic shared his thoughts on his new charge and what he believes he can bring to the table:
“I don’t know her too well personally, but my friend Zule is her fitness coach—we worked together with **Tomas Berdych**—and the word around the Tour generally is that she is a great person,” said Ivanisevic. “Game-wise, she has a big serve, she’s tall, a strong hitter, and she plays aggressively. She won Wimbledon just like me, and I feel I can teach her something. I mean, she is already **No. 5 in the world**, but I think she can win more Slams, that’s for sure.”
Ivanisevic’s belief in Rybakina’s potential is clear, and it’s this kind of optimism that could prove essential as the 25-year-old looks to take her game to the next level in 2025 and beyond. With a powerful serve and aggressive groundstrokes, Rybakina has all the tools to succeed, but the addition of Ivanisevic’s wealth of experience and his knowledge of big-stage tennis could be the missing ingredient to help her add more Grand Slam titles to her name.
### The WTA Finals: A Tough Start for Rybakina, But Focused on the Future
Rybakina’s 2024 season has been a mixed one. After her excellent run to the **Australian Open final**, where she was narrowly defeated by Sabalenka, Rybakina faced some challenges as the year progressed, including a **recent injury** that disrupted her preparations for the **WTA Finals** in **Riyadh**.
At the **WTA Finals**, Rybakina was unable to advance to the semifinals after suffering defeats to **Jasmine Paolini** and **Qinwen Zheng**. This has been a disappointing outcome for the Kazakh, but Ivanisevic is already looking ahead to 2025. Despite a tough end to her season, Rybakina remains one of the most talented players on the WTA Tour, and with the right coaching guidance, she has the potential to make a serious push for more titles in the upcoming year.
### Andy Roddick’s Surprised Reaction to the Ivanisevic-Rybakina Partnership
While the pairing of Ivanisevic and Rybakina has received widespread praise, **Andy Roddick**, the former World No. 1 and US Open champion, admitted that he was somewhat surprised by the collaboration. Given Ivanisevic’s background working with male players such as **Djokovic** and **Raonic**, Roddick remarked that it was an intriguing choice to bring him on board to work with Rybakina.
“I was a little surprised by the move,” Roddick said. “But then again, Goran has worked with some of the biggest names in tennis. His ability to relate to players, especially big hitters with strong serves, could be just what Rybakina needs. Sometimes it’s not about the number of hours you put in but the right connection and insights at the right time. If it clicks, they could do something special together.”
Roddick’s surprise at the partnership is understandable given Ivanisevic’s more traditional association with male players, but his pedigree as a coach and his vast experience working with top-tier athletes cannot be overlooked. Rybakina, who has a game similar in some respects to the powerful, serve-dominant play of **Ivanisevic**, could benefit from his unique approach.
### Ivanisevic’s Track Record: A Proven Coach
Ivanisevic’s coaching resume speaks for itself. In addition to his work with **Djokovic**, Ivanisevic has helped **Tomas Berdych** reach a career-high No. 4 ranking, **Marin Čilić** to win the US Open, and **Milos Raonic** to achieve consistent top 10 finishes. His success with these players, particularly in helping them fine-tune their serving games and aggressive playstyles, makes him an ideal fit for a player like Rybakina, whose game revolves around power hitting and big serves.
Additionally, Ivanisevic’s personal experience as a Wimbledon champion gives him invaluable insights into what it takes to succeed at the **Grand Slam level**, particularly on the grass courts of Wimbledon. His mentorship will likely play a crucial role in Rybakina’s quest to add more Grand Slam titles to her collection.
### The Road Ahead: 2025 and Beyond
As the 2024 season draws to a close, **Elena Rybakina** is already turning her attention to the future, where she hopes to build on her successes and take her game to new heights with the guidance of **Goran Ivanisevic**. Together, the pair will aim to sharpen Rybakina’s already impressive serve, develop a more consistent and aggressive game from the baseline, and prepare her mentally for the challenges of competing at the top of women’s tennis.
With the **Australian Open**, **French Open**, and **Wimbledon** all on the horizon in 2025, there’s little doubt that Rybakina, with Ivanisevic by her side, will be a player to watch in the new season. If their partnership proves to be as successful as expected, we may very well see **Rybakina** clinch her second **Grand Slam title** in the near future.