Elina Svitolina (Credits: Wimbledon)
Svitolina lost to Harriet Dart 6-2, 3-6, 3-6 in the opening round of the Indian Wells Masters
Elina Svitolina has been going through a very rough patch of late. She has been a vocal figure on social media against Russian invasion of her country and it seems the war in Ukraine has been affecting her on-court performances.
The Ukrainian tennis star has had a hectic calendar, playing seven tournaments so far in 2022. Svitolina had underwhelming results in most of her tournaments but she did show promise in the last event – the Monterrey Open. However, she was failed to bring her decent form from Mexico to the USA. Svitolina entered the Indian Wells as the 12th seed but was unable to do justice to her seeding, losing to unseeded Harriet Dart from the United Kingdom.
Elina Svitolina had earlier announced on social media that she would partly donate her winnings from tournaments for relief work in Ukraine. Svitolina has been constantly voicing her opinions on the Ukraine crisis and has pleaded for peace. She had declared before that continuing to represent Ukraine on court was “her mission for her country” amidst the conflict.
Svitolina made a heart touching tweet addressing fellow Ukrainians. In her message titled ‘Letter to my Motherland’, she wrote, “My people every day I fear for you. I am devastated, my eyes can’t stop crying, my heart won’t stop bleeding.” She further adds, “But I am so proud. See our people, our fathers, our mothers, our brothers, our sisters, our children. They are so brave and strong, fighting to defend you. They are heroes.” “I commit to redistribute the prize money of my next tournaments to support army and humanitarian needs and help them to defend You, our country”, Svitolina wrote.
Svitolina’s husband and French tennis star Gael Monfils has revealed it’s ‘tough to describe’ what Svitolina and her family has been going through. “My second family, let’s say is battling. It’s not easy to see my wife crying every night”, said Monfils. The Frenchman added, “Of course I was and I am being there for her everyday, for her and her family. It’s tough to describe because I’m in it. I’m in it and it’s just kind of crazy you know, when you think about it.”
Monfils assured that he would do anything to keep his extended family safe. We wish all the madness around us ends very soon and Svitolina is back in court playing her best tennis.
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