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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS WIMBLEDON

July 7, 2017

Elina Svitolina

Wimbledon, London, England

E. SVITOLINA/C. Witthoeft

6-1, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You have never made it past second round here at Wimbledon. How proud are you to make it to the second week?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, I'm very, very proud of myself because, you know, before, couple weeks before, there was some doubts about my Achilles, my foot. Didn't even think that I could make it to the fourth round. Especially here where, you know, I felt very uncomfortable.

And now I'm in the fourth round. I feel pretty confident. Like today's performance, could you see, like, I'm playing well and really enjoying and it's very special for me to be here and play well.

Q. In Birmingham you said that you weren't sure if you were even going to be able to play this tournament because of the foot. I'm just kind of curious, the discussions you had with your team, the checkups, MRIs, all that sort of stuff. How did you get to the decision you could play this tournament? And then at the time if we were to say, Oh, yeah, you're going to make the second week, what would you reply?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I didn't think I could make to the second week or win few rounds or something. No, I just was really focused on what I need to do to recover. I took, like, four days off after Birmingham. I didn't do much. I was just in the gym alone and trying to feel what I can do, what I cannot do with my foot. You know, if it's a good decision.

Of course there have been big doubts even when I arrived here, when I was training. I had a bit of pain. It's less with the tape. But then still, you know, I don't want to make it worse because, you know, I'm still quite young.

So I don't want to lose my foot (smiling) that early in my career. So of course there is doubts. But, you know, I spoke to my team and we decided, we're going to keep it clear so I don't have anything in my head, I just go out there and enjoy playing and competing without any doubts.

Q. This is the first time you'll be playing on Wimbledon Monday. Monday here is different from any other place. The women and men are all in action in singles. What are your thoughts on that day and what the fans get to see on the Monday, second Monday at Wimbledon?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, definitely they will see a lot of competition, because everyone is very hungry for the title. Everyone is smelling the winning, smelling the amazing feeling of being in Wimbledon's quarterfinal. It's something very special. So everyone is trying to be 100% ready, healthy, and be there winning.

So for fans is a big day, I think. It's gonna be so many interesting matches. Of course, lots of people will be there, so it's gonna be good for players, as well. It's a big day, I think.

Q. What will be your approach to the middle Sunday, that day off, that only Wimbledon has?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It's actually very special. I already thought about it. I thought about, like, it would be nice if I'm going to win today and have two days off.

It is, you know, as I said, Wimbledon, there is so many rules, but they are nice rules. So that's why it makes this event very special and, like, it's a big privilege to be still playing here and be on the second week.

Q. So what will you do Sunday?
ELINA SVITOLINA: On Sunday I will have a light hit. I will be with my team, speak about my match on Monday what's the plan. Just take it easy. You know, it's Sunday. You take it easy. It's an easy day (smiling).

Yeah, tomorrow I have a day off, and then I will have my team around me. Yeah, do everything what it takes to be ready for fourth round.

Q. Every round you have stepped up your level from the last round. Do you put that down to increased confidence on grass?
ELINA SVITOLINA: Every round been very different. You know, first rounds I was just really focused on that round because it was very tough draw. It was lots of pressure, lots of random thoughts. Yeah, then second one I was confident. I just needed to play my game. This round I was just ready for the fight, ready for everything, because, you never know. She's like aggressive player and I never played her before. So it was a bit tricky.

Yeah, in the first set I was playing amazing today. From the hand of Midas probably (smiling). But yeah, I was playing amazing. Second set it was normal because tennis is such a long, match is so long so there can be changes. So it was normal that she would have a chance to come back to the match.

Yeah, it will be different in the fourth round. We'll see. I'm going to be ready for the match and do my best to win that match.

Q. Ostapenko. She just won. Your thoughts on her. Also, what name do you call her, first name?
ELINA SVITOLINA: It's Alona.

Well, it's another match. I don't really have anything special. I will need to be there to win the match. I need to bring my game. It's gonna be another match. I don't want to put any pressure on myself. It's the first time for me that I'm that far, so it's already, you know, it's already a bonus if I'm going to win the next round.

So for me, as I said, you know, tomorrow I have day off, so I don't want to think about it. I'm going to think about it on Sunday a little bit, and then think about it couple hours before the match.

It's nothing to say. You know, she also deserve to be as much as me on the fourth round, so it's equal, and then that day we will see what's gonna bring.

Q. How did you learn to call her Alona? Obviously her name is written as Jelena.
ELINA SVITOLINA: Jelena, because they translate differently in Latvian. Sometimes we have the same in Ukrainian language. Because Ukrainian Russian is different than in her language, in Latvian language and then Russian, because she speaks Russian, as well. It's like something tricky, probably. You need to ask her. Everybody calls her Alona, like Russian-speaking people.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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