	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AEGON CLASSIC

June 22, 2017

Elina Svitolina

Birmingham, England

C. GIORGI/E. Svitolina

6-4, 4-6, 6-2

Q. Commiserations. How different was that? It was obviously quite wet today.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, the court was wet, and you know, I was not 100 percent today, you know. I still have this issue with my leg. And yeah, I'm not even like disappointed -- of course, disappointed I'm out of the tournament, but not disappointed about my performance because I couldn't really show even like 50 percent of what I can do. I all the time was late with my feet, you know, not there. So that's why I didn't give myself any opportunity to manage the point. So I know it's very, very disappointed that it's happened. You know, I still have pain. And yeah, I think I will have one week preparation for Wimbledon. But for me, you know, I don't want to endanger the end of the season. So that's why, I mean, it's very tough to think about Wimbledon because, you know, it can be very painful as well.

Q. Does it feel like a serious injury?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It feels very painful because, you know, on the foot because I need to walk, you know, sometimes. (Laughs). That's like all the time I stand up on the feet, it's painful. So that's why I can't really move, and movement, actually that's what helps it a little bit better. Again, it gets tired again. And again, because the heel is not very sensitive, very small muscles. So that's how I know it's very disappointed. As I said, I don't want to endanger the end of the season because hard court is on the way and that's where I need to be strong as well. Yeah, it's difficult.

Q. Does this mean that you would have to sit it out at Wimbledon?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I don't want to say this because I was really looking forward to this year at Wimbledon. But you know, you never know. Like today I woke up and the court was slippery and it's so bad for my foot. So I mean I will do my best. Like today, you know, I tried to play, to compete. I even won the second set. I don't know how, but you know, I managed to win the second set in a tight 5-4 on this game. So I was trying to just spend more time and try to find a way how I can manage this. But after the match I can say that it's very tough and very difficult. So tomorrow I'm going to wake up, it's going to be a new day. I'm going to see how it feels. But for the moment it's very uncomfortable, and there is a question, I think, about it, because the season is still long and there is lots of big tournaments as well where I will feel more comfortable and confident on the hard court, you know. So it's, yeah, disappointing.

Q. Would you say movement is absolutely essential to your game, your style?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, of course. It's one of the biggest things in my game, and that's why, you know, when I have a small pain, it's really damaging on my game because, yeah, I need to start off quickly, and today, as you can see, I was so slow. I was not there at the ball all the time. I was late or too early. I was all over the court.

Q. And that just contributed to the errors?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah. So many unforced errors. Never in my life have I done so many like today.

Q. How frustrating is it because you had such a great clay court run, and this is possibly one of your sort of best seasons so far in your career?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah. That's why, you know, I don't want to put in danger, as I said, the end of the year because the start of the year was amazing, and I'm on the right path to play Singapore my main goal for this year. So it's going to be a very tough decision what I'm going to do, but for the moment I will take time to think about it, to see physio and think with my team what's the best, because you know, big picture that's what I consider is, yeah, in my career it's always been big like this, so I try to look at this this way.

Q. We've seen players take a break and miss a Slam and come back stronger. So does that give you heart that even if you do have to make that decision it's the right thing to do?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, of course. But no, it's very tough to say, because you know, I just lost the match and my head is not even sad about losing that match. It's more about, yeah, what I'm going to do tomorrow to get better to sort this thing. Always there is the next step and that's what I'm looking forward to.

Q. Were you surprised at how well Giorgi played today?
ELINA SVITOLINA: No. I was not surprised. I was expecting this because she always played great on grass. And as I said, I was surprised that I managed to come back into the game and win second set and actually played some good points, even though I was not there 100 percent. She always plays great on grass, and yeah, it's quite normal.

Q. What was it like playing against an opponent that hits the ball quite as hard as Giorgi?
ELINA SVITOLINA: I played against her in Wuhan a couple of years ago, and I knew what to expect. And here, of course, was disappointing that I couldn't move my leg because against her you need to move very quickly and around the ball to manage to give yourself space, and today it was not there. Even on the tight moments that I needed to be, it was not there. And yeah, it was very disappointing that the game was just not there and I couldn't do anything.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297