Ukrainian Elina Svitolina’s Wimbledon win goes beyond the tennis court

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There’s almost always an upset at Wimbledon that draws widespread attention in the sports world. But rarely has an upset resonated so far beyond sports as the one scored on Tuesday by Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.

Svitolina, who is from the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, came into Wimbledon as a wild card ranked 76th in the world. She only returned to the tennis tour in April after giving birth last October and she spends most waking hours thinking about her family and the war back home. “Every moment that I’m not on the court I’m checking how my family is doing,” she said earlier this week. “This is pretty much the life that I have now on the day-to-day basis.”

Yet somehow, she managed to do what few thought possible on Tuesday. She came from a break point behind in each of the opening two sets to defeat world No. 1 Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 and advance to the Wimbledon semi-final.

“I’m just happy I could bring a little happiness to the people of Ukraine,” a buoyant Svitolina said after the match. “There were many videos also on the internet where the kids are watching on their phones. This really makes my heart melt seeing this.”

Throughout the tournament, Svitolina has talked about how she draws inspiration from people in Ukraine. She calls her father and her 85-year-old grandmother every day and follows the news constantly. If anything, the war and motherhood have made her stronger.

“Mentally, I don’t take difficult situations as, like, a disaster. There are worse things in life. I’m just more calmer,” she said. “I think having a child, and war, made me a different person.”

She hasn’t been shy about disagreeing with Wimbledon’s decision to lift its ban on players from Belarus and Russia. The championships were the only Grand Slam to bar players from both countries last year, but organizers changed course after facing sanctions from the men’s ATP and women’s WTA tours.

Svitolina, 28, said she was disappointed that Wimbledon dropped the prohibition, but she understands the pressure organizers came under. She has also thanked officials for the support they have given Ukrainian players, which has included covering accommodation costs throughout the British grass-court season and offering practice facilities.

On the court, her support for Ukraine has been public and at times controversial.

She has steadfastly refused to shake hands with players from Russia and Belarus, even when it has led to booing. At the French Open this spring, fans jeered at her when she walked away from Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, who stood at the net waiting for a handshake. After her fourth-round match at Wimbledon on Sunday, Svitolina again declined to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka, who is also from Belarus. This time the crowd turned on Azarenka and booed her off the court.

Svitolina has urged the tennis tour to say something publicly so that fans understand that Ukrainian players will not acknowledge Russians or Belarusians until the war is over. “I don’t know if it’s unclear for some people, maybe they don’t know what’s happening,” she said this week.

On Tuesday, the WTA issued a statement acknowledging the Ukrainians’ position. “Due to the ongoing reprehensible war, the WTA respects the position of the Ukrainian athletes in foregoing the tradition of shaking opponents’ hands [from Russia and Belarus] at the end of a match, as this is a personal decision,” the statement said.

That’s unlikely to change matters much on court and Svitolina could face Sabalenka in Saturday’s final. If that happens, it will only offer further inspiration. “Each time I play against them, it’s big motivation, big responsibility as well for me,” Svitolina said. “Different motivation as well for my country.”

Swiatek had nothing but praise for Svitolina, who once ranked No. 3 in the world and made the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2019. She refused to blame the loss on her own poor performance which included 41 unforced errors and a failing forehand that led to balls soaring far and wide. “I think overall, looking at her career, having [a] Grand Slam title would be pretty amazing for her,” Swiatek said of her opponent. “I think, yeah, I’ll root for her, especially because we like each other as people. I told her on the net that I hope she wins this tournament.”

Swiatek, 22, has been among the few tennis players to openly support Ukraine. She held a fundraising event in her native Poland for Ukrainian charities last year and she wears a small blue-and-yellow ribbon in her cap during every match in honour of Ukraine’s national colours.

“We really admire her in Ukraine,” Svitolina said of the Pole. “In the way when you’re playing your good buddy, it’s tough because you don’t want to see her or him losing.”

For now, Svitolina will savour the victory and prepare for Thursday’s semi-final. She’ll practise a bit and chat by video with her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils, who is caring for their daughter Skai at the family’s home. “She is still at this age when she doesn’t care if I win, if I lose,” Svitolina said with a smile. “She’s just happy by herself or sometimes when I come back home, she’s happy, too.”

Svitolina will also be thinking about her relatives in Ukraine and the men and women on the battlefield. “I can’t thank them enough for their bravery, for what they are going through,” she said of the soldiers. “It really takes a lot to go to fight for your country.”