WTA Charleston: Elina Svitolina loses on comeback but is happy
Despite the first-round defeat at the WTA Tour 250 tournament in Charleston, the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina was quite happy with her tennis comeback.
by Stefan Bergmann
last edit:
Apr 04, 2023, 12:46 pm
Elina Svitolina hasn't been on the WTA tour for almost exactly a year. At the start of the Miami Open in 2022, the Ukrainian had lost her last match to date in the tie-break of the third set against British Heather Watson. After that, a break was inevitable, as Gael Monfils' wife gave birth to their first daughter, Skai, in the fall.
Six months later, the 28-year-old is making a comeback on the big women's tour and chose the clay court event in Charleston, South Carolina, as her first destination to get a taste of competitive air again. A win didn't work out, as Svitolina had to admit defeat to Kazakh Yulia Putintseva in the first round 7:6 (3), 2:6, 4:6 - but the lady from Odessa still made a good impression.
Also early Virtova and Stephens continue
2:45 hours the two players fought for victory, Svitolina particularly praised the great atmosphere on the pitch: "It was spectacular, it was very exciting to see so many people who supported me and let me know that they were in this are with me during the difficult times my country is going through."
With her statement, the WTA Finals winner of 2018 is of course alluding to the Russian war of aggression against her home country Ukraine. In recent weeks and months, Svitolina has repeatedly expressed criticism of how society is dealing with the aggressor - for example, she has called for a ban on all Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Summer Olympics in Paris next year.
By the way, Putintseva will have to deal with the Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round. Also ahead: The Czech Linda Frühvirova against the Swiss Jill Teichmann (6: 2, 3: 6, 6: 2) and the American Sloane Stephens, who now meets the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka.