Daily Dose of Social Media: Photo of Rybakina with Vukov raises eyebrows as Leylah Fernandez picks her favourite athletes

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, Elena Rybakina took the spotlight with a new photo alongside Stefano Vukov during her clay swing training — following the coach's suspension for mistreatments against her. Meanwhile, Leylah Fernandez revealed her dream sports card collection, featuring legends such as Lionel Messi, Usain Bolt and Floyd Mayweather.

Elsewhere, ATP and WTA stars once again took part in fun challenges, with Mirra Andreeva stealing the laughs and appearances by players like Tommy Paul, Learner Tien, and even the legendary Gabriela Sabatini in several new social media posts.

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Fun guessing game at the Miami Open: How many tennis balls in the pool?

At the Miami Open Masters 1000, players took part in a fun activity where they had to guess how many tennis balls were inside an inflatable pool—but their answers varied wildly, making for a hilarious clip that amused fans online.

Guesses ranged from 150, as Mirra Andreeva guessed, all the way to 5,000, as suggested by Tommy Paul. Chris Eubanks was even spotted trying to calculate the exact number. The light-hearted challenge featured big names like Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Grigor Dimitrov, among others.

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Serena Williams teaches 1-year-old daughter her iconic “Come on!” in two languages

Serena Williams is embracing motherhood and often shares adorable moments with her daughter on social media. In a recent Instagram video, Serena can be seen teaching her 1-year-old daughter Adira her legendary “Come on!” fist-pump celebration. The little girl adorably mimics the move, delighting fans.

What’s more, the former World No. 1 speaks to her daughter in French, showing her how to say the iconic phrase in both English and French. The 23-time Grand Slam champion retired in 2022 and has since become an even more prominent cultural icon. She recently made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl.

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Rybakina seen with controversial coach Vukov

Steffan Duell recently shared a photo with Elena Rybakina where controversial coach Stefan Vukov was also spotted. The Croatian coach is currently suspended by the WTA for breaching the tour’s code of conduct due to mistreatment of the former Wimbledon champion.

According to The Athletic, a member of her team said that Vukov had been fired as her coach and told to leave her alone. Sources close to Rybakina revealed that Vukov wandered through hotel lobbies and hallways in Manhattan, bombarded her with text messages, and made over 100 calls trying to convince her that her tennis career couldn’t thrive without him.

Despite the suspension, Vukov is back as part of the Wimbledon champion’s team. In response to the situation, Rybakina commented: “No one has offered me any support. Honestly, it’s not necessary. I barely have a relationship with the other players. I’m only in contact with two, but to say I have friends isn’t true—we compete against each other.”

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Swiatek blends training and relaxation at luxury Miami hotel

Iga Swiatek shared a series of photos on Instagram during her stay in Miami for the Masters 1000 event. The Polish star noted that the weather in Warsaw reminded her of Miami’s warm and pleasant climate.

The former World No. 1 posted photos of herself enjoying the beach, walking around her hotel, and having a fresh fruit breakfast. She also thanked The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour in Miami for their hospitality and support, confirming that she plans to stay at the same hotel during next year’s Miami Open.

Learner Tien joins viral challenge with influencer Matthew Shaw

Learner Tien took part in a fun activity with popular influencer Matthew Shaw on his platform BEBIDA Tailgate, where the young American was challenged to name eight tennis players whose names feature alliteration.

Tien successfully listed: Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Bjorn Borg, Karen Khachanov, Sloane Stephens, Damir Dzumhur, Stan Smith, and Arthur Ashe. The video wrapped up with Matthew’s iconic catchphrase: “Let’s go!”

Learner Tien is one of the most exciting prospects in American tennis at just 19 years old. He recently reached the quarter-finals of an ATP 500 event, which he achieved at the Mexican Open, where he lost 6-3, 7-5 to Tomas Machac.

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Leylah Fernandez reveals her dream sports card collection

Leylah Fernandez shared on Instagram the athletes she’d love to have on sports cards from different sports. For boxing, she picked Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. In football, it was Lionel Messi; for ice hockey, Sidney Crosby; and for athletics, she chose Usain Bolt, admitting he’s the only one she knows in the sport.

In women’s football, she selected Christine Sinclair, while in tennis, she named several, including Frances Tiafoe, Nick Kyrgios, and Marcelo Ríos. For basketball, her choices were Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, and Kobe Bryant.

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Del Potro challenges Sabatini to tough Top-5 picks 

Roland Garros shared a Reels on its Instagram account featuring Juan Martín del Potro asking his fellow Argentine Gabriela Sabatini to rank five great female tennis players in a Top 5 — but with a twist. He named them one by one, and Sabatini had to assign each a position on the spot, without knowing which names were coming next. Check out the order she chose, including Serena Williams, Aryna Sabalenka and more.

WTA stars teach tennis at Charleston school

The Credit Charleston Open shared a Reels video on Instagram featuring tennis players Jessica Pegula, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Jennifer Brady, who surprised students at Meeting Street Schools by becoming their substitute teachers.

The three players taught the kids how to play tennis and explained how scoring and rules work. The students later made thank-you cards for their celebrity substitute teachers.

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Behind the scenes: WTA shares fun Miami Open moments

The WTA’s Instagram account posted a photo dump from the Miami Open, showcasing players enjoying more relaxed moments during the tournament. The post also featured videos and images from around the Hard Rock Stadium, including both the athletes and attendees.

Among the highlights: Paula Badosa joking around before a photoshoot, Emma Navarro playing with a prize she was awarded, Donna Vekic sharing that she only removes her jewellery for DXA scans, and a glimpse of Marta Kostyuk’s puppy sitting in the stands while she played her match. The post also included stunning aerial shots of the stadium.

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