MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

July 31, 2023

Elina Svitolina

Press Conference

E. SVITOLINA/V. Azarenka

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congrats on the win here tonight. Can you walk us through the match.

ELINA SVITOLINA: It was a tough match from the start until the end. Lots of tense games. So, yeah, I'm really happy I could win the match in two sets.

Started well, but then, you know, she was playing better tennis. So just, yeah, really happy I could win in two sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. When you're playing a match that has so many momentum swings -- you were leading, she was leading, back and forth -- how do you walk through that match mentally when it's going back and forth through the entire match right up till the end?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Just try to focus on every point. Because we played -- you know, I played well, then she played well. You know, it was really up and down. In the end, it was a moment I think at the end where we both played really good.

Just have to, you know, try to focus every point, try to find, you know, your game again. You know, just try again and try again to come back into the match.

I think, you know, there were some moments where we both played well.

Q. I just wanted to ask your reaction to there being those messages on the scoreboards, explaining to fans what they might see or not see at the end of the match.

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think it's the right thing, as I mentioned in my first press conference, that I knew that it's gonna happen, and, you know, I ask for WTA to respect the decision of Ukrainians. And they did, so happy they reacted.

Q. I'm just wondering, going back to the spring and the success you had and the run at Wimbledon, does that momentum carry over now, or is that so far removed, different surfaces, et cetera? Is there momentum or is it you are starting fresh here almost?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I try to take the positives from the wins that I had, because I had great wins against great champions at Grand Slam, which is always tricky, because everyone is really hungry and striving for the good result at the slams.

So I'm just taking, you know, these moments with me, and I tried to understand what I did good at that matches.

You know, I have been practicing after Wimbledon in a good spirit. Of course was really upset that I didn't go to the final, but somehow, you know, I still had this motivation to practice and to go for more, rather than some semifinals before the pregnancy where I was like really sad for weeks and didn't want to practice, I was mentally like broke almost.

In this case, you know, I was really hungry to go on the court, practice my game, and almost the day after when I went back home, I practiced with Gael already after the semifinal. So that's why, you know, for me it's a different story than before, so I try just to take the positives and build on that.

Q. Any idea why it's different now after maybe past long runs and disappointing losses?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Because I think I have less years in front of me than behind, and I just want to give it all now these years that I have left. I have this motivation, this motivation to go for more and just give it all.

Q. You had a lot of great support from the crowd tonight. I was wondering, in a situation where you have fans supporting you, when you have those moments where you hit a great shot, you pump your fist, you're shouting, are you thinking in that moment about using the crowd and how the crowd might respond to that? Or is it just spontaneous and you're not thinking about maybe if I get the support, if I do this it will make people cheer even louder and support me more?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I don't know. Sometimes, you know, first, you know, it's very natural for me, because when you play a great shot, you know you're naturally like happy and satisfied with that shot because you really were going for it or taking risk.

So first reaction is natural. And then I don't really like, you know, when players are, like, asking for more. I feel it's like a bit too much. Of course when it's like around the post or something, it's like unbelievable shot, maybe, you know, but you never seen like Roger doing that. I think it's, I don't know, too much maybe (smiling).

Q. You were saying before about processing the loss and going back home and having it easier. I know Serena talked after she had her daughter that it was easier for her to snap out of the depression of losing when she had to immediately start taking care of this baby and think about somebody else within hours of losing Grand Slam finals. Did you have at all that sensation that, as a person now taking care of someone, that you couldn't be so self-defeating after this big loss?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, for sure, because you come back home and you see this small baby and you're, like, Okay, I cannot be sad, I have to do a million things. You know, Skai right now, she's like not running but like crawling everywhere. You have to watch out, you have to run after her.

You know, you have no time to think about yourself almost. I think it's good in a way, but also, you know, I understand that, you know, I have to sit down after the loss, I have to analyze, I have to speak with my coach, have this uncomfortable conversation what I have to improve, what I have to do, and then close this chapter and move on.

Then enjoy time at home and then go for the tournament and go for practice and do better next time. So for sure, you know, it's helping, but in the same time I don't want that it distracts my mind and I just sweep it under the carpet.

Q. Is Skai traveling with mom and dad now, or is she at home?

ELINA SVITOLINA: No, she's at home. We want her to stay home for the health reasons. Health is No. 1 priority for us, and it's really changing. We know how tired it can be to travel that much. Tennis requires a lot of traveling, flying, and all this stress. You know, you're not sleeping in your bed, you are constantly, you know, doing something and different places.

So we don't want to stress her right now at the beginning. For sure it's extremely tough for us. We were Face Timing this morning with her and she was super happy. Then she was looking behind the phone, you know, where we are (smiling) and we are not there.

It's really sad for us, but, you know, we have to put the priority on her health.