INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 12, 2025

Elina Svitolina

Mixed Zone

E. SVITOLINA/D. Collins

6-4, 6-2

Q. Danielle hits the ball so hard, how much studying do you do beforehand or do you just go out there and react?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, of course I try to study a little bit of where she places the ball. Of course, it can change opponent to opponent. But still little bits to expect because when she hits really well, when she strikes the ball that good on the returns, for example, like the match before she did against Iga, I had to really be ready for the deep balls, yeah, just to be ready for the quick ones.

Q. Did you see the match against Iga?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, yeah, I saw the first set and little bit of the second, then I went to warm up because I had my match.

Q. Did that surprise you, the performance of Danielle?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I was expecting a good game because obviously they played some good and long matches, three-setters before. Danielle also beat Iga before. I was expecting a big battle.

I think Danielle first set was playing unbelievable. Everything was going her way. Yeah, of course she's a great player. She was for some time in top 10 and knows how to play big players.

Q. You're a two-time champion here. The grounds have changed. You played on the new Super Tennis Arena today? What did you think of the new court?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I played there my first match and also today. I feel like it's a good court. Yeah, the site changed a lot, but still I feel like we have a lot of great courts and such a beautiful arena.

I also played in Pietrangeli once. Yeah, it is special, a special one. Really a pleasure to play such a great courts with a great crowd. Today is Monday and we have still so many people coming. Yeah, it's a big motivation definitely to play well.

Q. If you could go back and play the Elina of 2017, 2018, what would be your tactics be and who do you think would win?

ELINA SVITOLINA: That's interesting.

Well, definitely I strike the ball bigger right now. I feel like I have a bit more power. I play little bit different right now.

Uhm... Well, I wouldn't give away my tactics, that's for sure (laughter).

Q. Even to yourself?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, even to myself. I keep it a secret (smiling).

But yeah, I feel like it's two different players. Right now people are hitting bigger. They are going more for their shots. Before it was more about, like, chess game. Even when I played against Simona, we had such long rallies with a different kind of tactics against each other.

Yeah, now it's more about who's bravest, who takes the opportunity first, then strikes.

Q. Are you saying you would win now?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, I would think so (laughter).