“Very happy to be back in Stuttgart”

Elina Svitolina is back on the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix stage. Ahead of her opening match in the Porsche Arena, the world No. 7 from Ukraine spoke about returning to the Top 10, her special relationship with team competitions and her commitment to young people in her home country.

Elina Svitolina is enjoying being back at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. A semifinalist at her last appearance in Stuttgart in 2021, the Ukrainian feels well-prepared and is looking forward to her matches in the Porsche Arena. She is used to the conditions on the indoor clay after training and playing for the Ukrainian team in the Billie Jean King Cup. “I’m very happy to be back after some years,” said the 31-year-old. “The field in Stuttgart is always so strong.”

Tennis-wise, Svitolina comes to Stuttgart on the back of some excellent performances. After giving birth, the world No. 7 has established herself again as one of the world’s top players. For her being back again in the Top 10 is an important step but she is not yet fully satisfied. She wants to go higher and the Grand Slams are always a goal for her. Looking back, she feels the comeback is quite an achievement.

Special moments for Ukraine

Visibly emotional, Elina Svitolina spoke about the importance of team competitions and playing for her country. The Billie Jean King Cup and the Olympics are always something special for her. She feels extra pressure having the Ukrainian flag next to the court, but at the same time it is daily motivation. Her most memorable career moment was winning bronze in Tokyo – the first ever Olympic tennis medal for Ukraine.

She made it very clear that, especially in difficult times, sport can also gift people in Ukraine positive moments. It means a lot to her to give something back to people through her success and being the source of good news. The support of the Ukrainian fans at the tournament venues is something she is very much aware of.

Commitment for young people

The work of her foundation goes hand-in-hand with the previous thoughts. Elina Svitolina reported that, at the beginning of the war, hundreds of children were supported in a variety of ways – like with clothing or relocating players. In the meantime, the foundation has been restructured and promotes tennis in Ukraine through a wide range of programmes.

They include junior tournaments, mental health services and regular master classes that she organises with Sergiy Stakhovsky, a former Ukrainian pro, in various cities. Svitolina says she is moved by having children sharing special moments with professional players. Whenever her schedule allows, she wants to return to Ukraine and continue the work.

“Very happy to be back in Stuttgart”

Elina Svitolina is back on the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix stage. Ahead of her opening match in the Porsche Arena, the world No. 7 from Ukraine spoke about returning to the Top 10, her special relationship with team competitions and her commitment to young people in her home country.