Elina Svitolina knows the pain of losing in a Grand Slam semifinal. When she fell in the Wimbledon semis last month to eventual champion Marketa Vondrousova, it marked the third time Svitolina had fallen at that late stage of a major.
Yet, unlike the previous two defeats (Wimbledon 2019; U.S. Open 2019), Svitolina says it didn’t take long to move past this one.
“Of course, I was really upset that I didn't go to the final,” she conceded this week, “but somehow, I still had this motivation to practice and to go for more, rather than some semifinals before where I was really sad for weeks and didn't want to practice. I was mentally like broke almost.”
With the benefit of more experience on Tour and a nine-month-old daughter at home, Svitolina says her perspective has changed. Rather than beat herself up over the semifinal defeat at Wimbledon, she used it as fuel to prepare for the US hardcourt season.
“I was really hungry to get back on the court, practice my game, and almost the day after when I went back home after the semifinal, I practiced with [husband] Gael [Monfils]. So that's why, for me it's a different story than before. I try just to take the positives and build on that.”
That mindset has translated this week in Washington. Making her Mubadala Citi DC Open debut, Svitolina has earned straight-set wins over former World No.1 Victoria Azarenka and No.5-seed Daria Kasatkina, to reach her fourth quarterfinal in her last five events overall.
Svitolina will next face either American No.1 Jessica Pegula or lucky loser Peyton Stearns in the quarterfinals on Friday.
“Definitely feels like she's playing free,” said Azarenka, who also fell to Svitolina in the fourth-round at Wimbledon. “She’s just coming back, so there is nothing to defend, only things to gain. In one way, I would say it's an advantage.”
Azarenka was among four Grand Slam champions who Svitolina defeated en route to her Wimbledon semifinal appearance (also Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek).
Other highlights since Svitolina returned from her 12-month maternity leave this spring have included a title run in Strasbourg (her 17th career WTA title) and a quarterfinal appearance at the French Open.
“I didn't expect that, but I just had to be focused and of course to handle my nerves, because just coming back to the Tour, you don't know how your body is going to react,” she said.
“I was happy I could find this focus for such big matches and big moments as well. So, I tried to take the best out of this and hopefully I can continue playing and doing the same here, the U.S. swing.”
As Svitolina spoke to the media soon after her DC arrival, it quickly becomes apparent that she is hardly satisfied with her run of recent success. The former World No.3 has an appetite for much more.
“I think I have less years in front of me than behind,” the 10-year Tour vet opined. “So, I just want to give it all now these years that I have left. I have this motivation, this motivation to go for more and just give it all.”
SUPPORT ON THE ROAD
Svitolina’s maiden trip to Washington also presents a unique opportunity to be around her husband, 2016 DC champion Gael Monfils, at the first combined ATP-WTA 500 event.
Soon after Svitolina defeated Azarenka on Monday night, Monfils followed on the same court before winning his opening match against American qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo.
“It actually was one of the reasons to come here,” Svitolina said. “[There are] so many weeks a year where we are traveling, so it's nice to have each other, support each other, and spend time together with our teams. Makes you feel good and especially it's a 500 event, so it's a great opportunity, for the fans and for the players, as well. It's always nice, the combined events.”
