MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 29, 2021

Elina Svitolina

Press Conference

E. SVITOLINA/P. Kvitova

2-6, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think was the key to surviving that end of that third set? It was very back-and-forth in those last few games.

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think physical aspect was one of the main points. To be fair, I felt not bad out there. For sure it was not easy conditions, but I was trying to fight and was trying to find a way of one extra ball over the net to try to be aggressive as well. So I think like physical aspect really played a big role.

Q. Your rivalry with Petra goes back quite a ways, and today I believe was the tenth time you played her. What have you been able to learn from playing someone like Petra and the fact that it's extended over so many years? What do you learn each time you play her?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, yeah, we played many times, and I think one of my first top-10 wins was against her, so it's always a big battle to play against her because she strikes the ball very clean and you have to adjust extremely quick. So I had to, like today was in the first set, okay, I didn't play my best but still, you know, she was stepping in. She was striking the ball extremely good. So for me, always a big challenge to play against her but also gives me lots of positives from winning those kind of matches.

She's a top player. She has great results each year. She always brings the best out of you. That's why I really enjoy those kind of battles.

Q. Looking forward, now you play either Sevastova or Konjuh. Any thoughts on your next match?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, they are both different players. Konjuh we played many years ago I think actually before she started to have her surgeries. She strikes the ball very big, forehand, backhand, big serve. Have to expect that.

If I play against Sevastova, completely different game. She tries to change the rhythm. For me it will be important to try to build smart and to play really smart against her. I played against her a couple of times as well on different surfaces. So, yeah, let's see who's gonna win and I'll try to do my best with the preparation and recovery.

Q. We are at about the sort of one-year mark when things started getting weird with the pandemic and everything started changing. Wondering sort of how you're feeling just mentally, I guess, after having been in this bubble sort of environment, different places for so long, if you're still enjoying the travel and everything or if it's getting to be tough, or what your mindset is at this point in this whole journey?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, yeah, it's been one year. I think WTA and ATP, they do extremely good job of improving each tournament. As it gets better, you know, we get more possibilities of enjoying the event. Also having a little bit of fans, it also helps. It helps the event, helps the players, because obviously we really miss the fans on the stands.

Yeah, I would say that to be in a bubble is a very lonely place to be, but as I mentioned, we try to enjoy as much as we can. Speaking from my side, it hasn't been easy. That's why I have my mental coach to help me to deal with that.

You never know what's gonna happen in the future, so you have to enjoy the present moment, and that's what I'm learning and trying to do for now.

Q. I'm not sure what the situation is in Ukraine or wherever else you might be based, but do you have any idea when you might be able to get a vaccine? Or is that something you're trying to do as a priority?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I was thinking to do the vaccine, but a few of my friends told me to wait a little bit longer to see how it goes, because obviously there have been some cases with side effects.

Yeah, I don't know, to be honest. I know that there was a possibility for me to get one in a couple of weeks, but, yeah, I will think about that.

But also, you know, the other side, it will not really help you in many ways because you have to quarantine anyway, because ATP and WTA, they oblige you to quarantine anyway, like 24 hours as soon as you get it. Okay, you will reduce your symptoms if you get it, but still, there is a chance that you can get it.

So for now it makes almost, like, no sense to do something that has been tested for such a short period of time. For me, I will probably wait for now.

Q. I found a stat here after the match this afternoon that against left-handed competition you have won nine of your last ten, including today. My question is using especially your match today against Petra as an example, how do you feel it is that you match up so well against left-handed players?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I don't know. Maybe I'm just more focused because obviously it's a very different spin and a different goal when you're playing someone left-handed, there is a different challenges. So I think maybe I'm more aware. But to be honest, I didn't know such stats existed.

Yeah, it's good stats. For me, it's important to play well against left-hander because it's a very tricky challenge.

Q. Your schedule going forward, do you think you'll play less events due to the fact it's a bubble environment, or will you still play your normal schedule week in, week out?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I take it as it comes, but for now I'm scheduled to play all the big tournaments and tournaments that I love.

I play full clay court season, so for now, you know, for sure it's not easy mentally. There is ups and downs. I think more than before. But, you know, you have to deal with that. That's, you know, that's the situation that we are in now. To be honest, we are very lucky to be able to actually play. That's what I'm trying to, you know, to realize and to take every moment as it is and try to learn how to enjoy.

But for sure when you don't have good results, for sure it's more draining than it was before, because before, you know, you lose, you could leave straightaway, you can go anyplace that you want. Right now it's like if you lose, you need to wait for your test to get back and then maybe you cannot go to the place where you want because you have to quarantine for 24 hours or more.

So that kind of way, you know, when you are not playing really good, that's when it becomes a problem.