Elina Svitolina started strong in 2018 – and stopped even stronger. In between, however, the Ukrainian had to survive a dry spell, especially at the Grand Slam tournaments.
Kylian Mbappe has a good laugh after the 2:1 success of Paris Saint Germain, the multiple Olympic champion and long-distance runner Mo Farah is without a doubt a cheerful nature – so it’s no wonder that Elina Svitolina also showed herself in a good mood at a meeting with these two outstanding athletes. Just like a few days ago with boxing champion Anthony Joshua.
Like so many times next to the court. However, some fans resent her, as Svitolina, who celebrated the greatest success of her career at the WTA finals in Singapore a few weeks ago, told the radio station Shark FM.
“There are people who don’t know how much I work outside the square. These people concentrate only on my photos in the social networks,” said Svitolina. “That doesn’t bother me, I even enjoy it. But it’s a little weird when people tell me I don’t train enough just because they don’t see it.”
Svitolina had made a strong start in 2018 with the success in Brisbane, and then in Dubai and Rome with the tournament victories. At the Grand Slam tournaments, however, the big run did not want to happen so far. That’s why a victory in one of the four majors is more important to the Ukrainian than the top position in the WTA world rankings.
“Difficult question – but probably success at a Grand Slam tournament,” said the 24-year-old, who will start the coming season as number four in the world. “If you win such an event, you’re 99 percent close to the top of the rankings anyway.”
In 2018 Svitolina made it to the US Open in round four (defeat against Anastasija Sevastova), in Wimbledon it was already over after the first match against Tatjana Maria. In Paris, fear opponent Mihaela Buzarnescu showed herself to be too strong in round three, at the Australian Open Elina Svitolina lost against Elise Mertens in the quarter-finals.