THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2024

Elina Svitolina

Press Conference

E. SVITOLINA/M. Linette

7-5, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Elina, we'll start off by asking how did it feel out there for you today?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it was not an easy conditions to play. I had to wait, and still we are just playing first round. So, yeah, it was not easy conditions. A little bit of drizzle here and there.

But very happy with my level. Really happy with the first-round match and felt good out there even though it was really tough.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. 11-9 in that second-set tiebreak. Must have been quite frustrating not to win that. How did you manage to reset yourself and keep so calm?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yes, was quite frustrating. I mean, I could lose that tiebreak easier as well. But yeah, had to just forget that tiebreak. It was very painful because I had the match point there. A little bit unlucky on the 9-All as well. The line was unplayable.

Yeah, just happy I could stay in the match. I think my fighting spirit was really good today. So, yeah, for me it's a good start. Yeah, couldn't ask for a better match to go through.

Q. I just wondered, when you are here at Wimbledon, if there are things you like to do and see, places to go when you're not here at the club.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, so I wish I could do more because I know city quite well. I spent a lot of years here in London. I know so many nice places, like parks and areas and, of course, shopping as well. It's nice to go around.

I'm not a crazy shopper, but I just like to go around and watch just, you know, walk around the parks and in the city as well.

I just really love London, yeah.

Q. Are you staying in Wimbledon?

ELINA SVITOLINA: No, I don't stay here. I stay closer to the city, yeah.

Q. Ukrainian people all time fanning for you. What kind of help is there this year for participants from Ukrainian?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I heard that we're going to get the increased per diem, and I don't know further on that. I've been asked this question at Roland Garros, but I don't know more about it this year, yeah.

Q. I wonder if you are going to go and watch Gael's match later and if he was watching you earlier. How does that dynamic work when you are both playing a Grand Slam at the same time?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Today is quite tricky because I have to play tomorrow my second round. I probably will not go. I have to take care of my recovery. It was quite long match, quite intense as well.

We try to watch each other's match. I did in the first round. Today he's getting ready for his second round as well.

So when we get a chance and when we know that it's not like clashing with each other's preparation or recovery, we try to do our best. Of course, it's nice to see each other cheering, yeah.

Q. Like you said today, yours is obviously the first one on, and he is fourth on. You must have to try and match up your schedules to see if there are times. Do you go times not even seeing each other even though you're playing at the same tournament?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, exactly. Like today, for example, I haven't seen him yet. Well, he was sleeping when I left. It was quite early. I left around 7:00, 7:15 the hotel. I haven't seen him.

Probably I'm going to eat and go back to the hotel. Then I don't know if he is going to play today. But yeah, it goes like this.

But, I mean, we are working here. We are at Wimbledon, which is extremely special for both of us. We do everything to get ready to play our best and just perform as good as we can, and then enjoy our time back home with our daughter and together as a family.

Q. As far as obviously you want that to continue because if you both keep going through in the singles, you might not see each other, but obviously that means more success for both of you.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, for sure. Hopefully if we go further, if we win more, our schedule is going to be on different days, so it's going to be a bit easier. I think when you're playing in the same day, that's where it's tough. Like today, for example.

Normally I would be playing the opposite day here. So, yeah, it's not easier, but as I say, we're here to work. We're here in full focus, both of us. Of course, we want the best for each other and the best preparation possible.

We practice and we do everything for these kind of tournaments. That's why I think it's important to prioritize tennis at this moment.

Q. I saw that there were 29 players on the 50 best in the world that were from the countries of Eastern Europe. Do you think that's fate, or do you think there are some reasons for that?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think it's been for a while like that. I feel like we have very good schools, you know, for kids like in the way of Eastern European mentality in a way where you work a lot on the court as a kid and you spend a lot of hours. You know, they are pushing, pushing you to go for more.

I think also a lot of kids' tournaments at the early age. I feel like this kind of base, like a starting point for your career. That's why I feel like there are many people from Eastern Europe who had great competition coming up to this level as well, and that's why they are more immune [sic], I would say, to perform well and to do well.

Yeah, I feel like also a fighting spirit is very strong and plays a big part of it. So, yeah, this is my feeling about that.

Q. And do you have the feeling it's easier to play against a non-Eastern European player? Do you think you have an advantage when it's the case?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I don't know. I don't think that way. For example, I know that when I've been working with the coaches from States, for example, it's very different mentality.

Yeah, I would say it's a different approach, different explanation as well in different kind of ways. Yeah, I guess it's a bit different.

I wouldn't say I wouldn't judge if it's good or bad, but just for me never really clicked in a way. But yeah, I'm more straightforward, more, like, working really through tough times, you know, not stopping so much. Like, go, go, go all the time. I feel like this maybe also one of the mentality clashes that we have.

So, yeah, for example, I would say in Ukraine we don't really -- like, let's say four years ago we don't even think about mental health issues that you could have, that athletes can have. In States it's more people are aware about it. More athletes are aware about it. It is very important topic, I would say, in States and that part of the world.

But in Ukraine, I would say no one really cared so much about it (laughing). So that's different, I would say, like a big difference with this.

Now with the war there is more awareness about it and more people are talking about it. This I feel one of the differences.

Q. I just wondered if there was any music that you listened to to kind of get yourself prepared for a match?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I listen sometimes in the morning, but I don't listen so much before the match. I feel like sometimes it gets me too pumped. Then I go on the court, and I'm, like, Oh, what's going on? I'm on a big court with a lot of people, so I like actually to soak in the atmosphere. I like to just listen to different kind of noises that are happening around me before the match.

Sometimes I put my headphones for the -- not for the music mostly, but for the meditation, do guided meditation before the match, but this is mostly like this.