Elina Svitolina reveals big goal she accomplished in her post-pregnancy return



by DZEVAD MESIC

Elina Svitolina reveals big goal she accomplished in her post-pregnancy return
© Getty Images Sport - Sarah Stier

Elina Svitolina reveals one of her first goals was to return to the top-100 and then she started aiming to return to being the top-ranked Ukrainian female tennis player. Svitolina, a former world No 3, didn't play for 13 months and she was ranked outside the top-1000 at one point this year.

After winning a WTA 250 event in Strasbourg and also reaching the French Open quarterfinal, Svitolina returned to the top-100 - she was ranked at No 73 after the French Open. Then, Svitolina told her coach she wanted to again be the top-ranked Ukrainian tennis player.

At the time, Anhelina Kalinina was ranked inside the top-30 and Svitolina's coach thought the Ukrainian was setting big goals to achieve in the remainder of the 2023 season. But after reaching the Wimbledon semifinal, Svitolina returned to the top-30 and again became the top-ranked player from her country.

Svitolina on returning to being the Ukrainian No 1

“When I started playing, I had my sights set on the WTA top 100. And I didn't do very well in the first tournaments. Then somehow I sped up a little after the victory in Strasbourg and the quarterfinals of Roland Garros.

I remember the moment when I told my coach that I wanted to be the first racket of Ukraine again. Even then I was somewhere in the 70th place. Anhelina Kalinina, after very good performances in Rome, was in the top 30 and had a good position.

And my coach then laughed a little. He said, 'Wow, you have such a big goal.' We began to work even harder, and thanks to a successful performance at Wimbledon, I was already able to achieve my goal," Svitolina told Ukrainian media Tribuna UA.

Meanwhile, Svitolina's 2023 season ended after the US Open, where she suffered a three-set defeat to Jessica Pegula. This week, it was announced that Svitolina would start her 2024 season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, whcih takes place in the opening week of the new season.

Elina Svitolina