US OPEN

August 29, 2023

Elina Svitolina

Press Conference

E. SVITOLINA/A. Friedsam

6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Elina, straight sets, under an hour, 59 minutes, crisp. Could you just assess your performance.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it was a good start from my side. I think I played well, served well. I was, of course, a bit tricky at the beginning. 3-All, and then I just tried to pick up my good level again.

Yeah, was playing well. I'm really happy the way I was serving, moving, hitting the ball. So, yeah, happy with the win in straight sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What are you most pleased with today in terms of your play?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think everything was just working well. I practiced last week to get back into the good form. Served well. Even though it was a bit, like, was 3-All, was a bit not returning well, but then I was just trying to get back again and again, you know, try to move my feet quick.

In the end, I was returning well, moving well. No, like, something that I would say was not working today.

Q. Having an injury that took you out of Cincinnati, what was the recovery process like? Were you feeling healthy enough to start preparing for the Open as opposed to trying just to get better?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, we tried to take one day at a time. The news were not great, but we just decided we're gonna do everything possible in every way every single day. I'm thankful for my team to understand my position. I want to play. I want to play the last slam of the year. We're going to see what's going to happen after the slam.

Now I'm just focused on every match to try to be as ready as possible for every match. Very happy with the performance today, with my health as well. So I just try to really be focused on this.

Q. Two-and-a-half, three months ago, first-round win in a major, probably big news, big emotions, all that stuff for you. Now, having done what you did in the last two, does it feel a little bit like locking into 2019 Elina, where this would have been a typical day at the office, or does it still feel very special?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Two weeks ago, it would be like a normal thing. But because I didn't play in Cincinnati, was a bit struggling with my health little bit, today this win and the form that I showed is a good day and a good win because, yeah, I was a bit concerned about my health.

But any win on the Grand Slam is a happy, happy day because the best players are here, everyone is there trying to beat you, trying to bring their best game. That's why there's so many exciting matches on the Grand Slam.

So that's why every win in the Grand Slam is a happy day.

Q. You had four aces today. Strong on serve. Do you feel even more that your serve is stronger now? It was always strong in the past whenever you dropped down the heat.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, I tried to work on consistency on my serve. I did a few changes with my coach, like, few months ago. My comeback, was working on my serve, few other stuff, on the second shot as well. I tried to work and bring every match that I play.

I'm happy that is working now more than before.

Q. You have Anastasia again. You know her so much. Talk about playing her style, power play, how that matchup, your thoughts on the second-round match.

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think she didn't play yet, Anastasia.

Q. She won already.

THE MODERATOR: That's incorrect. She hasn't played yet.

Q. You could play Pavlyuchenkova or Fiona Crawley.

ELINA SVITOLINA: So her match is not on yet. I played against her and I think I beat her couple of times, as well. I know her game style. She knows mine. There's nothing too much surprising.

She's also coming back after making the comeback after the injury. So if she wins, is going to be another tough opponent. Also, I don't know much about the other girl. I know that she's No. 1 that I read somewhere. So amazing effort to qualify, as well. That's going to be exciting match for them first. Then gonna see after.

Q. Is Skai with you?

ELINA SVITOLINA: No, Skai is not with us. She's at home. We decided for the sake of her health to leave her at home, unfortunately. We miss her really much because this is like the last push now. It's been one month now that we didn't see her. We FaceTime every single day.

But, yeah, it's not easy.

Q. How do you treat days off differently when you have her at a tournament versus when you don't?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, we had her at Roland Garros. Of course, we spend some time with her. But during the slam, it is very limited time because all the time you wake up, you go train, you have treatments, you have media, you have everything, like so many things. Then in between her naps is managing your day, your time.

In the end I don't see her as much as I wish. So that's why in the end we decided to leave her at home. We have a team who is taking care of her, as well, so she's super safe at home. Watching some matches of us playing here in States.

Q. On the topic of Raymond, he's obviously such a technical coach, you're not hitting both hands on both sides these days. In terms of working with him, bringing him on, is it more of a technical thing that you focus on with him? He's a great person to talk to about the mental side of the game. Can you talk about the balance of what you need from him and what he gives to you.

ELINA SVITOLINA: I wouldn't say that there is, like, one thing that we focus on. I think it's everything because a complete professional player at the top level, you need to have all aspects of your game at the best.

So we are working technically. We are also trying to improve physically, working closely with a fitness coach, also the physio, do different kind of things to be at the 100% every time.

I'm happy that I made this decision and ask him to work with me, then he agreed. This is also a good thing (smiling). So, yeah, I'm just happy with the way that we've been doing. He's also such a nice person off the court.

Yeah, it's really, really important, as well, because spending so much time off the court together, traveling and everything. I'm happy that it works now.