Rybakina ready to put Ivanisevic insight to the test at United Cup

AFP, Perth :

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina expressed confidence on Thursday that her new partnership with Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic will pay dividends, starting at the mixed-teams United Cup.

The world number six completed a Dubai training block with the Croat before joining her Kazakhstan compatriots for the Perth leg of the 18-nation tournament, which starts the 2025 season and is also being played in Sydney.

Kazakhstan face Spain in the opening tie on Friday, with Rybakina a favourite against 54th-ranked Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

The match will be the first test of her new collaboration with the 53-year-old Ivanisevic, who parted ways last season with 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.

“We had a couple of weeks together, Goran’s a fun guy,” said Rybakina, the beaten finalist in the 2023 Australian Open. “I can’t say (too) much about our work, but we had a good preparation.
“Not much time has passed but I’m already getting experience from him, especially as a player, how he used to prepare.

“I’m learning every day, I’m feeling much better physically and hopefully we can do well here,” she said after an injury-marred 2024.

Ivanisevic came on board with Rybakina in November after Djokovic shook up his team as he hits the twilight of a remarkable career, replacing him with Andy Murray.

Rybakina is looking to make up for last season’s disappointment after winning three titles in her first eight tournaments before being sidelined by a back problem and illness.

The 25-year-old skipped the late-season Asian swing before she returned at the WTA Finals, where she defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka.