US OPEN

September 2, 2023

Elina Svitolina

Press Conference

J. PEGULA/E. Svitolina

6-4, 4-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Elina, not the result you were looking for, but can you give us your perspective on the match and your run in the tournament.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it was, to be frank, I was happy I was able to play. I won here couple of matches. Today tough match.

Jess played well in third set. It was little bit up and down, first, second set. Then I played much better.

Yeah, unfortunately didn't go my way, yeah. So that's tennis.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You are right there in terms of being so competitive with the ones that are elite. You're showing that elite form. Despite the result today, is that something where you still feel that that's the bigger picture, that you're right there back at the top?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, I feel that my game is getting better. I feel good on the court. Of course, tough days sometimes. Today played against world No. 3. It's not easy.

But I feel like I'm there, competitive against top players. Played well, good matches. I'm happy with my level. I just want to take some time off right now to recover physically and go again.

When I'm physically fit, I can really challenge these players, and the ranking will come.

Q. In the time off, how long do you think it will be? The love that you got from the Ashe crowd when you went off...

ELINA SVITOLINA: I don't know exactly now how much time off I will take. I'm gonna see what the doctors are going to suggest. I'm going to speak with my team to see what's coming up for me.

I just really want to take time to recover. I didn't see my daughter for long time now, so I really looking forward to go back home.

Yeah, just going to go from there. I'm happy with the couple of months that I had right now. I want to continue doing that, but to do that I need to be healthy.

Q. It seemed like you were struggling with your rhythm for large swaths of the match. Was it the conditions, was it Jess, or was it the physical issue?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, a mixture of everything, I would say. Obviously Jess, she's playing well, striking the ball well. It's not easy to find your rhythm against the top players. You need to come out being on the top of your game.

I was a bit struggling also physically, was not as fresh as the matches before. Yeah, just mixture of everything. She strikes the ball well, important points, and served really well, as well.

I couldn't match today her level, even though it was three sets. But I felt like in the third set, she stepped up and I couldn't be there.

Q. She's kind of where you were maybe six years ago, getting to quarterfinals of Grand Slams, but then just not getting that step past it yet. Do you remember back then when that would happen? Were you gaining confidence you were getting closer? Was it frustrating, I'm tired of getting here but not getting past it?

ELINA SVITOLINA: No, each time I was in this situation, I was excited. I think for her, as well, playing at home, it's special. She looks like she really enjoy playing here.

She's a good player. She really brings her best game each time. It shows that she's a great, great player who is very, like, stable as well. She's been showing great results, winning Montreal couple of weeks ago, so...

I think she's ready to do an extra step forward.

Q. Now that the Grand Slam season is over, how do you look back on this year, what you could have predicted it would have been and what you make of it?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, to be fair, my goal was to enter top 100 when I started playing in March (smiling). For sure I'm happy with the matches I had. There are some matches, of course, disappointed, and I wish I could play better, like the semifinal Wimbledon, today. Today little bit different situation. Physically I couldn't push more.

Again, in Washington against Jess, it was closer match there. So couple of matches here and there I wish I could play better.

But in the end I also didn't expect for myself such a high level at Wimbledon. Roland Garros, as well, played really solid. In general, I'm very happy with the tournaments that I played, and with the season, I'm close to top 20, to come back.

Yeah, I'm taking a lot of positives from this.

Q. You have worn blue throughout the first two matches. The darker color today, was that for the weather or another reason to wear that color?

ELINA SVITOLINA: No, it's just to not have the same outfit. I think it's good because we have different collections, as well. For the US Open, some players play in darker colors, some are playing in blue.

I don't mind to change. I like this outfit, so I decided to go in a different one, to represent the darker colors today. So it was nice.

Q. It didn't confuse us, it was helpful.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Exactly. It's nice for people to also, you know, have something different.