Elina SVITOLINA: “I would give myself 10 for wrestling and 6 for performance”

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina (WTA 144) commented on the win against Clara Burel (France, WTA 122) in the 1/2 final match of the WTA 250 soil tournament in Strasbourg (France):

“It was definitely a tough fight, Clara played very well. It was very difficult, I lost 1:4 in the second set, there were problems with the game, and you have to appreciate Clara because she played a great game. I knew she was good at using the clipped ones. I tried to reach every ball but sometimes you could beat your opponent.” You have to applaud for his skill and keep going.I tried to score as many points as possible and I finally won.

I tried very hard to win this match. I had to fight and I put all my strength on the field. There were a lot of fans in the stands, so I tried to show good tennis. A little embarrassed by my level, I tried to raise my level a little to show the best tennis. I knew the audience would support Clara, but thank you for supporting me as well.

How do I rate this match? I’d give myself a 10 for the combat and a solid 6 for the performance itself given the uneven gameplay. I hope my tennis will be better tomorrow and you will cheer for me a little more. Of course, I am especially happy that I reached the final in this tournament. I’ve played many tournaments throughout my career and enjoyed playing here. I am grateful to the organizers for providing me with a wild card and giving me the opportunity to come back here. Now that I have one more final ahead of me, I will try to prepare and be ready to fight.”

In the final of the tournament in Strasbourg, Elina will play with Anna Blinkova.