ROLAND GARROS

October 6, 2020

Elina Svitolina

Press Conference

N. PODOROSKA/E. Svitolina

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I asked you two days ago how you would raise your game against lower-ranked players. I'm just interested to know what you learned out there and how you're feeling.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it was a tough match for me today. Lots of things were not going my way. I wish I could handle the match a little bit different.

But to be fair, you know, she really played a great match. With the conditions, it was not easy for me to change something. In the end here and there I was, yeah, I was not 100% mentally on it today, and that was really disappointing.

Q. Do you think maybe your serve let you down today?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think there was many things that let me down today. I think it was not easy to serve from one or another end, and in the end it got a little bit into my head, and I was maybe focusing too much on negative things.

I think it was really tough for me to find the focus today. I didn't perform as I wish I could, and in the end completely dropped my level. I gave her opportunity to play really good tennis.

Q. What do you think you need to do next time to make sure that the mental side of the game doesn't affect you too much? Because obviously it was a big game, and you said you dropped your level. So how do you prevent that from happening again and what were you thinking about at the time that it was affecting you so negatively?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think it was just one of those days when you are really hard on yourself, when you're really picking on all the bad stuff and the negative stuff.

I think it's important to try to find something positive. I have been in this situation many times, but today unfortunately I was thinking of, like, so many stuff was going on, you know, with the wind and everything, and this really let my focus down.

In the end, you know, I think Nadia was playing really well today to not give me those opportunity to come back fully into the match. I was playing much better in the second set, but still, you know, I missed my opportunity and this was, yeah, I think this was really because I was not focused 100%.

Q. How do you usually bounce back from a loss? How do you usually recover? You've had losses before, so what do you usually go through? What's your process now?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I have to break down everything in the small details, you know, to try to find out why this came. Especially in this moment when it's a quarterfinal, of course it's very upsetting for me and it's very tough moment.

But, you know, I have been in this situation for many times, and especially here at Roland Garros, it's been not my lucky one. The third one maybe I will come back here and be stronger next time, try to, you know, to get another opportunity to be in this situation and to play better.

Q. When we watch you and your competitors play, we are viewing you as professional athletes. But I guess sometimes we forget that we are just all individuals going through our own things. I just wanted to ask you, one thing we are all searching for in our lives is just to be happy and healthy. After a day like today, how do you keep perspective? And as a person, how do you balance what you want to achieve professionally and your career goals with how you want to feel every day as an individual?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, that's completely right. You know, tennis is a big part of our life, my life, and it's important to really divide it and try to have your life as well. You know, it doesn't end. You know, I finish my day, I finish my match. You know, of course I'm sad because I put lots of work into it, lots of time, it's disappointing. But I think it's important just to try to analyze, try to take positives out of the matches that I won here and Strasbourg, as well.

So it's life. You know, there is bad days. You know, we are learning from those kind of moments when it's really tough. It makes you stronger, makes you even, you know, even better as a person and you have to just analyze and grow from it.

Q. Going with that question, what do you take away from this French Open? What is your plan to end the year?

ELINA SVITOLINA: For sure it was a few good moments here. I wish for sure I could play better here, better than the quarterfinal. I had the opportunity but it didn't happen, and right now it's for sure upsetting, but in the end life continues. There is a new season coming up.

I still don't know what I'm gonna do next. There is I think only one tournament left in Ostrava, so I will see how I feel physically, mentally, as well, if I'm ready to play. And, yeah, I will see what are the other options.

Q. There is no WTA Finals this year because obviously Shenzhen, China there is no possible way to go there at the minute. But do you think the tour can somehow make up a quick relocation for that tournament? What are you hoping for that resolution there?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think for now is gonna stay there. That's why this year there is no other WTA Finals, even, you know, I think it's for many people there is a question why they didn't move. But I don't know, to be fair. I don't think it's gonna be moved because all the sponsors and all the organization is made for Shenzhen, so it's supposed to be there.

I think next year it's gonna happen if nothing major happens as this year, but I think next year probably it will be there.

Q. You mentioned it was a bad day today. I have had about 10 bad days at Roland Garros but I'm still trying. I just wanted to know what makes you smile.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Makes me smile? I think that I'm going home today (smiling).

Q. No more questions from me. That should make you smile.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, you have to try to find something positive. There is always something bad in life, but you have to try to find maybe a good cup of tea will make you smile (smiling).