DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 19, 2024

Elina Svitolina

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

E. SVITOLINA/A. Kalinina

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You're a two-time champion here. What is it like to be back in Dubai?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it's a great tournament here. I'm really happy to be back in the city, back on the center court. Have so many great memories. Brings back really joy for me. I enjoy the city, as well.

So, yeah, I'm just really happy to get through the first round today.

Q. You've seen the event evolve. How have you seen the event evolve? Do you think it's becoming more of an attractive tournament? What is bringing players over here and what do players like about playing here?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Every year it improves. It's such a nice, nice venue. You can go to your room. There's not so many tournaments like this where everything is really close. It's really comfortable.

The organization in general has been over the years really great. Really enjoyable for players to come to play here. The city is great. We have so many things to do off the court, as well. That's why I think players enjoy to come here. Yeah, couldn't be that better.

Q. Obviously you had an injury at the Australian Open. What was that like to go through? How were you able to bounce back? Are you feeling physically good now?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it's been truly tough, to be fair, because I felt really good in Australia. I played final in New Zealand. Really passing through first three rounds in a good shape. Then the injury happened like that.

Especially, as well, that I stopped early my year, not playing the end of year with another injury. Of course, it's really tough mentally. But I try to really bounce back quickly, try to find happy moments at home.

I'm lucky to have my family, good people around me to help me be back on track quickly. To be fair, I'm really lucky, as well, to be competing here, to recover that quick.

We try to take one day at a time, see where I am with my health and how I'm going to react tomorrow as well. It's a question about how everybody going to recover.

Just take one day at a time and see how it goes.