Elina Svitolina: A Motivation To Go For More And Just Give It All

Elina Svitolina
Elina Svitolina (photo: Dustin Satloff/Mubadala Citi DC Open)

WASHINGTON, August 1, 2023 (by Michael Dickens)

Monday evening’s prime-time match at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 victory by Elina Svitolina over Belarus’s Victoria Azarenka, in a rematch of their round-of-16 meeting at Wimbledon, was the Ukrainian star’s second straight over her foe. Arguably, it’s a turning of the tide in what has always been a competitive rivalry between these two former Top-5 players, whose countries are bitter enemies.

After five straight losses to the former No. 1 Azarenka (now ranked 19th), Svitolina has pulled off two straight triumphs in the span of four weeks. On grass at Wimbledon, Svitolina dropped the opening set 6-2 but rallied to pull out a contentious 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9) victory in a deciding tiebreaker.

Fast forward to Monday in the nation’s capital city of Washington, D.C., Svitolina withstood eight breaks of her service during the one-hour, 47-minute first-round match — her first match on a hardcourt surface since the Miami Open last year — and broke Azarenka nine times. Add to the mix, Svitolina hit 22 winners through her bold, ball-striking groundstrokes and took advantage of Azarenka’s 27 unforced errors to win the opening-round tussle and move into the second round against No. 5 seed Daria Kasatkina of Russia.

Determined to succeed from first ball to last, Svitolina earned a match point against Azarenka by winning a backhand rally. Then, she promptly whacked a forehand winner for game, set, match.

Afterward, in lieu of a handshake at the net, the defeated Belarusian (who turned 34 on Monday) gave a thumbs-up gesture toward the stoic-but-proud Svitolina as she walked off the court. Unlike at Wimbledon, where there was plenty of jeering by the crowd, the Stadium Court fans at William H.G FitzGerald Tennis Center were informed beforehand of the no-handshake decision in order to alleviate any potential confusion.

A message on the Stadium video board read: “At the conclusion of the match, there will be no handshake between the players. We appreciate your respect for both athletes during and following the match, and for your understanding during these difficult circumstances.”

“I mean, it’s just to me, I don’t care. We just move on,” Azarenka said in her news conference, pressed to comment on the matter of the scoreboard message. “We play a tennis match. As I said in Wimbledon, I accept, respect somebody’s position. That’s it.”

Late in the second set, as Svitolina was focused in the heat of battle against Azarenka, the TV cameras captured a meaningful quote above her on the Stadium façade. It read: “Heart of the nation, love of the game.” Looking back, it’s a perfect metaphor that sums up this amazing and determined 28-year-old from Odessa, Ukraine.

After the match, in her on-court interview with Rennae Stubbs, Svitolina acknowledged her appreciation of the many fans who waved Ukrainian flags. “Stepping on court and seeing so many flags, it really makes you want to cry,” she said. “It definitely motivated me today to push. When I faced difficulties in the match, I looked at the flag. It motivated me even more, to push and fight more.”

Four months ago, Svitolina was unranked after returning to the WTA Tour following the birth of her daughter, Skäi (who did not travel to Washington). Now, she’s ranked 27th in the world and full of heart and determination. Since her comeback, Svitolina is showing in times of adversity she is capable of doing and achieving extraordinary things.

“I just want to give it all now these years that I have left,” Svitolina admitted in her post-match news conference. “I just have this motivation, this motivation to go for more and just give it all.”

All in the family: Monfils matches Svitolina with a win of his own

Gaël Monfils received a good luck kiss from his wife, Elina Svitolina, after she walked off Stadium Court following her straight-set victory over Victoria Azarenka and moments before he walked out on court to a warm welcome. Their support for each other has been a big plus in their respective comebacks to the Tour, Elina from maternity leave and Gaël from a nagging wrist injury.

Monfils, a former World No. 6 but now No. 323 in the current rankings, needed a wild card to compete in the main draw this week in Washington. Monday night, he garnered only his second tour-level victory of the season and first since the French Open after defeating qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo of the United States, 6-3, 6-4, in a first-round match to advance against No. 6 seed Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan.

The 36-year-old Frenchman earned his 527th career match win through a combination of speed and athleticism against Fratangelo, 30, who was making his 2023 main-draw debut following an injury sabbatical. Always an entertainer, Monfils drew big cheers for his two signature Slam-dunk overhead smashes. It brought back fond memories of his earlier Washington success, when he won the crown in 2016.

“It’s great to be back in Washington,” Monfils, an 11-time ATP Tour titlist, said in his on-court interview with Andrew Krasny. “I love the support here. I started strong and it’s another good match under my belt.”

Asked about his wife’s earlier win, Monfils smiled. He replied: “Elina had a tough match. She played amazingly. I was super happy for her. Of course now, I won. …

“It’s a good night for both of us and hopefully we can keep it going this week.”

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