ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2025

Elina Svitolina

Press Conference

E. SVITOLINA/J. Paolini

4-6, 7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. An incredible comeback. What switched for you in the second set for you to take the win today?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, it was a tough battle today. Very happy I could continue fighting, continue going for my shots.

Yeah, very happy I could win this match today. Yeah, it was a tough one. Three match points down. Yeah, very happy the way I could put up the fight and just play well in the third after.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Three match points saved. How did you manage to save them all?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I tried to really stick to my game plan, tried to stay in the match, keep fighting, keep doing, you know, aggressive things on the court, and tried to find my opportunities to get back in the match.

Jasmine played really well in the first set. Second set as well. We were really close. The match was really close in the second. Yeah, I knew that I had to try to give myself a chance to come back into the match and just leave all there.

Yeah, if I would lose in two sets, all credits to her, but yeah, I tried to fight. Very happy I did that and got rewarded.

Q. You had such tremendous success in coming back from having a baby. Semifinals, quarterfinals. What do you think you need to do to get into the final, to win that major? What's the extra ingredient you're going to need now?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I feel like it's a process. I feel I had a great two years now being back on tour. The first year in a few months I got back into top 20. Then I had injury which didn't allow me to finish the season.

Then last September I had surgery. So, you know, a mixture of different things didn't allow me to play a full season. Even in September last year, I still missed the Asian swing.

Now after the surgery, after playing well in Australia and now on clay courts, I feel good. I feel like I'm back with my game. Yeah, just now I have to work hard to give myself a chance to earn these opportunities to go one step further.

Q. We don't know who you are playing next. It's going to be a heavyweight name regardless. You won't start as the favorite, but do you think if you can get through that, that that will be a catalyst for a run at the French Open? Talk about your next opponent, either Elena or Iga.

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I wouldn't say that it will be a turning point, because obviously there's still a full draw of big names and everyone is playing well. Yeah, I have to take one match at a time, as I did previously.

Played with Elena, played with Iga multiple times, so I know what to expect. Different game styles. So we'll see who wins. Tomorrow is a day to work on a few things tactical that I'll have to do on Tuesday.

Yeah, for me it's firstly important to recover physically, because today was a tough match that I have to focus on the recovery. Then, yeah, tomorrow is a day to work on my game.

Q. How do you feel playing here in France, considering you have a French family? Wondering if you feel like a local when you are out there in the court?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I feel very good. For so many years I loved and still loving to play here in France. I won a couple of tournaments in Strasbourg and Rouen. Played here a couple of quarterfinals as well.

The support is amazing. They push me to play better. Like matches today, for example, when I was a set down, 1-4 down, really pushed me to come back, to keep fighting, and this is great feeling to have when the crowd is giving you this extra energy.

Q. When you reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne this year, you told the crowd that your fighting spirit is completely Ukrainian spirit. There's plenty of that out there today. I'm just wondering what small moments like this, how important are they to keep bringing some small light to people back home?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, definitely very important for me personally. Last few months have been really, really tough for Ukrainian people, and last few weeks have been awful as well.

It's something that all Ukrainians that we live on a daily basis with, with the bad news. So, you know, when I'm on the court, I'm fully focused on my job, on my tennis, and try to get these wins, try to keep Ukrainian flag flying for my country. That's what's motivate me to keep pushing, to keep winning, to keep playing tennis in general.

So, yeah, this what I have on a daily basis, but yeah, it's heavy, but in the same way it's a huge motivation for me.

Q. Is one of the most important win in your life today win?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I wouldn't say so, because I had many wins in different stages of my career. Like, for example, I had a great win against Serena in Olympics in Rio. This was a great win for me, a boost of confidence.

I was pretty young at that time. Also, beating Rybakina to win bronze medal in Tokyo. This was a massive comeback as well for me to get that medal.

Yeah, there are a couple of matches that I had in the past where I had to come back after being set down or being just generally down in the match. But I rate it pretty high because, for sure, winning from the match points, it's special, especially at the Grand Slam.

Q. You are very brave in the three match points that you saved, especially one of the three, you came to the net, which is not usual in your type of style, no? You remember if there was one match point that you thought you were a bit, I don't want to say lucky, or that she made a mistake that she could have avoided in your opinion? Also, you talk about Ukrainian, and we all appreciate that because we are all solidarity with that. If you have to play Rybakina, you normally don't shake hands with a Russian. She's a Kazak now passport. Does it make a change or nothing? If someone just change the passport, goes in another city, but she was a Muscovite, I want to know if your reaction is different or is exactly the same?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yeah, so answering your first question, yeah, I remember the match point where I finished at the net. It was on a tiebreak.

And then the first match point I don't really remember. The second one I remember she missed, I think, backhand down the line or something. But you know, it's kind of these moments with a lot of pressure.

I feel like I served well being two much points down. It was, I think, 5-4 or 5-3 at that time when I was two match points down. Of course, it was not usual maybe for her, but also, it's such a pressure moment that sometimes can happen for both of us.

Yeah, I'm very happy I could save another match point on the tiebreak, because tiebreak was very close, and a few points just decided the whole second set.

Answering to your second question, she changed nationality years ago even before the war started, the invasion started, Rybakina, and representing Kazak right now. For me we have a bright example of Daria Kasatkina, who changed to Australia right now and who spoke openly against the war.

So, of course, we're going to shake hands with her right now because she gives support to Ukraine, and we respect the people who do that. Not only changed the nationality, but also speak in support of Ukraine.

Q. Apologies for a nontennis question again. This war, it's been going on and on, and there are some people in my country, America, who say, Well, Russia is wrong, but Ukraine is wrong, too. I would like to ask you, as a leader, what is your message to us in America and in the West about this war?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, for sure, you know, if we speak about the governments, there are many decisions from many governments. Doesn't matter which country it is. They do some things that we think that they are good and some things are bad. Of course, it's for all people the same.

But for me right now I want to focus, and it's been for many years now. The war has been ongoing for over three years. I want to focus on the innocent people that are suffering in Ukraine, the kids, the kids that are suffering back in Ukraine. The kids are our future, and we need to take care of them.

Like through my foundation, I try to give them the opportunity to continue playing sport, to continue dreaming, to continue training, to continue just have this one or two hours a day where they can enjoy the sport, where they can just switch off for this moment and be just kids, you know.

The kids not in the war, but just kids who are like in States, like in here in France who can just simply enjoy the sport, enjoy the game. I try to do everything to raise money for my foundation to have more opportunities to create for them.

Q. How much money have you raised through your foundation?

ELINA SVITOLINA: More than $1 million from all the three years.