Few stars have captivated Wimbledon spectators as much as Ukraine's Elina Svitolina. The tennis player has quickly gone from wildcard to the brink of the final. After defeating the world No.1 Iga Swiate in a magnificent three-set victory yesterday, the 28-year-old has soared to the semi-finals and now the finals are in touching distance. But amongst her whirlwind comeback lies a quiet strength. It's almost impossible to believe that she gave birth just a mere 9 months ago.
Svitolina retuned to tennis just three months ago after becoming a mother to first child, Skaï, with her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils. Of course, a mother should never feel any pressure to 'bounce back,' after giving birth, but watching her get back to the sport she loves and overriding expectations of what she can achieve is extremely inspiring.
Elina is considered a wildcard. This is an invitation that allows a tennis player to participate in an event to which he or she would not qualify with their current ranking. For example, a player ranked 500 in the world would not be able to compete in a Grand Slam; however, if given a wildcard, he or she would be able to compete directly in the main draw. As Elina currently sits at no.76 in the world rankings, there was no estimation that she would get this far. There is something annoyingly defeatist about the word 'wildcard.' By labelling Elina this, it's almost like the world counted her out before she even began. So, seeing her rise above everyone's preconceived notions or judgements feels like a satisfying middle finger up to society - and we're here for that.
Of course, society’s comments and views on when the right time to return to work is doesn’t help. There is still an unbalanced view on gender roles when it comes to parenting - but again Elina's family are defying this. Whilst she takes on her matches, her husband Gael is at home watching their daughter. In a press conference she said, 'He’s happy at home. He’s watching from home with Skaï. He has his routines before my match. It’s ok, I let him stay at home.'
Whilst motherhood means you have brought these tiny humans into the world and their needs will always be paramount - having a child doesn’t mean losing your identity and sacrificing the things you love. It IS ok to want to be away from your little one; to put yourself first for a while or to have a career that sets you on fire.
Her fairytale comeback run is a story that is becoming bigger than the tournament. And it could become greater still. In a rousing post-match speech, Svitolina said the devastating war in her homeland of Ukraine had made her stronger. Fuelled by emotion and roared on by a raucous Centre Court crowd she dedicated her win to the brave soldiers defending her homeland.
'It’s really unbelievable what they are doing for our country,' said Svitolina, when asked about those serving in the armed forces. 'I can’t thank them enough for their bravery, for what they are going through. All Ukrainians, we are here to help them to win this war.'
After her quater final win against Iga Świątek, Iga opened up about the differernce in Elina's game. 'Elina was just overall playing aggressively and giving it all in every shot,' said Swiatek after her 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 defeat. She added, 'I felt like she’s playing differently than before. Sometimes she really just let go of her hand and she played really, really fast. It totally makes sense. You have to have guts if you want to win these matches.'
When Elina was asked to explain her reinvented tennis persona, Svitolina replied, 'I think the Ukraine war made me stronger. Mentally I don’t take difficult situations as like a disaster, you know? There are worse things in life. I’m just more calm,' She continued, 'I think also because I just started to play again, I have different pressures. I think having a child, and [Ukraine] war, made me a different person. I just say to myself, it’s less years that I have in front than behind me. I have to go for it. I don’t have time to lose.'
This reinvention of Elina is truly wonderful for the world to watch. In the last year she's gone through good moments and hardships but she never gave up. She is inspiring mothers to get back out there whenever they're ready and not to fall into the trap of going back to work 'too soon' or 'too late.' Elina might have started the tournament as a 'wildcard,' but she's spinning the narrative and has ensured that her performance and overall purpose will certainly be remembered.
What is Elina Svitolina’s link to Harry Styles?
Elina Svitolina and Harry Styles seem to be new found friends!
Ahead of their fourth-round match at Wimbledon, Svitolina revealed that her successful run in the tournament meant she had to give away tickets to Styles' Love On Tour concert that she had planned to attend. She wrote on social media, 'Hey guys!! I was supposed to go to see my fav @harrystyles concert in Vienna tomorrow.But Wimbledon changed my plans. Someone want to go? I have two tickets.' The official Wimbledon Instagram account shared her dilemma with fans, writing, 'You win some, you lose some.' The Grammy-winning singer then saw the post and offered her tickets himself, writing, 'Congratulations! We have four shows to go, you're welcome at any of them. Good luck with the rest of the tournament. H.'
What nationality is Elina Svitolina?
Elina is Ukranian. She was born in Odesa in 1994. At age 13, her family moved to Kharkiv, but her grandmother still lives in Odessa, and she's been outspoken about the need to support Ukrainians right now. 'My grandmother lives on the 13th floor, and she needs to walk all the way up to her apartment because she cannot use the elevator. She could get stuck, or there are no lights at all. I have many friends in different cities, and they tell me the same stories. No lights. No water. They are just sitting at home. Most of the time, the phones die after one day so you cannot connect with them,' Svitolina said in January.
Who is Elina Svitolina’s husband?
Elina's husband is fellow tennis player Gaël Monfils. In 2016 the French pro was ranked as high as world No. 6 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). His career highlights include reaching two major semifinals at the 2008 French Open and 2016 US Open, and three ATP Masters 1000 finals.
The couple started dating in 2019, and they announced their engagement on April 3, 2021. They then tied the knot on July 16, 2021. Elina chose to use her maiden name as her professional title, but on her social media platforms she goes by Elina Monfils. Prior to her relationship with Gaël, she dated England cricketer Reece Topley.
When did Elina Svitolina have a baby?
On 15 May 2022, Elina and husband Gael shared the news that they were expecting their first child. Then on 15 October 2022, they welcomed their daughter, Skaï Monfils. They both took to social media to share the happy news. 'What a night !!! Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to Skaï Monfils,' Elina Svitolina tweeted.
Whilst her husband wrote, 'I had the most amazing night of my life, which ended with the most beautiful gift around 6:00 am. Elina was strong and brave. I can't thank enough my wife and God for this special moment. Welcome to the world my little princess Skaï.'
What is Elina Svitolina’s world ranking?
Elina is currently number 76 in the world and has a career-high ranking of number 3. In her career, she's won 17 WTA singles titles, and won the Bronze medal at Tokyo Olympics.