ROLAND GARROS

May 23, 2026

Elina Svitolina

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to Roland Garros. How has your preparation been obviously coming here with the Rome title? Does that change anything? Any more energy?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, definitely lots of great things happening and special ones, as well. I mean, firstly, coming off winning in Rome, very special feeling for me to be here in good form, and, of course, you know, Gael last Roland Garros as well.

For me, it's just a special one, and I try to enjoy it as much as possible with all the buzz that is going on.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. On that Rome run where you beat three of the top four seeds, all Grand Slam champions, when people now talk about you as one of the genuine favorites for the title here, what's your reaction to that?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, I think I have been living with that for quite a few years now. For me, it's all about just trying to focus on my game, on my performance, not to go too far with the thoughts about if I can win the title or not.

There's still, like, lots of matches to win to get that title, and you need to be fit, you need to be mentally ready. There is still lots of work ahead. So for me, just important to focus on the first round, one match at a time, and be ready for anything that comes my way.

Q. Is it difficult focusing like that specifically here, specifically with Gael's last tournament here? I mean, you have a lot going on around this specific edition of Roland Garros. Does it add any pressure, or it's the same for you?

ELINA SVITOLINA: No, it's the same for me. It's not adding any pressure. I think it's of course a bit more things going on, and of course I feel like he's, you know, also excited and nervous and, you know, just lots of feelings that he's feeling.

But it's more about him, you know, in a way, and not about me performing well here, because, yeah, just mine is one thing and his is different. So I just want him to play well here. I want to enjoy with him, you know, this last Roland Garros journey. Yeah, just be there for him.

Q. I just wanted to ask you about the really great match you played against Iga in Rome. She's talked a lot about how she's kind of figuring out her game right now. I wonder what stood out to you in that match that either worked well that you were able to attack from her or if anything seemed different or surprised you, anything like that?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Well, we always played some tough matches, tough sets, even sometimes when she beat me in two sets but have been two really competitive ones. So I was expecting really a tough, high-intensity battle. We practiced also earlier in the tournament together, so I knew kind of what to expect. And she, as well.

I didn't notice too much. I mean, she's always bringing lots of intensity there, lots of, you know, just dominance on the court, and especially on the clay. So I was trying just to be there ready and find, you know, the small opportunities, you know, if it's on the return or on the serve, just to try to take the initiative back.

But I don't think it's something necessarily against her, but against her, you don't have many opportunities. As for other top players, you need to use them. As soon as you get them, you need to be ready to take this.

Q. It's the third time that you came here in Paris with a win in Rome. With the three matches that you won against Iga, Coco and Elena, have you felt more confident now or before in Roland Garros this year?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think now more, but I think it's still early to say, because I need to start the tournament well. But now I'm more calm, I would say, because at that time eight years ago, it was more of, like, Okay, now I need to win Roland Garros. That was my kind of the goal. Now I'm more calm about it.

Of course, you know, I feel like I'm in a good form, but for me it's all about trying to enjoy this journey and not put too much pressure on myself and not just think too much about what can happen. It's just all about preparation, mental preparation, and physical preparation.

Now, you know, for me it's always been saying, you know, physicality and really be mentally fresh is the goals, because when I'm ready to fight, when I'm ready to be physically strong on the court, I can play good tennis. So this is the goal for me, and then we'll see what happens.

Q. You mentioned that calmness there. What has changed then over the years? Is it just the stage of life you're at that you feel more calm now?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think now I'm just more fine with the way that my career, it is how it is. It's okay, you know, if I don't win a slam. It's also fine, in a way, because if you're not okay with that, I think you can just eat yourself from inside and all the time not happy about what you do on the court.

I think my career, even if I finish tomorrow, is okay. And if something happens, I will be fine with that and I'll be still a happy person and will live my life good, yeah, if I don't win a slam.

So I just want to have this mentality now, because I think when you're younger, of course you want to win slam, this is the goal, No. 1, and you are so upset and can really damage yourself mentally if you don't succeed.

So I think for me, I still believe that I can win a Grand Slam, but I'm also fine if it's not gonna happen or if it's not in the cards for me.

Q. Going back to the Rome run, you defended so many breakpoints specifically in those last three matches. I wonder if you approach those points differently mentally or tactically, I mean, when you face such a pressure moment in a match, because you won so many of them.

ELINA SVITOLINA: I don't approach differently, but I think with the way that I have been good with refocusing myself in tough situations, been great, and I always try to work on this mental strength, and it happened in Rome. Very happy that it happened actually at the moments where I needed the most against the top players because, I mean, this is the ultimate goal, to be ready to make it happen in big matches.

Of course, you know, it's maybe easier in a way to do it when you are playing like a lower-ranked player or earlier rounds, because you're more relaxed and, you know, still trying to find the way. But when it's like quarterfinal, semifinal, final, that's where it matters the most, and that's where you have to bring your best.

I'm very happy the way I could handle myself in tough and really the right way and, yeah, just really pleased with that.

Q. You have had a great career and also a quite long one already. I wonder, do you think the perception of women's tennis over the course of these years has changed in a good way, and do women in tennis finally get the respect they deserve?

ELINA SVITOLINA: I think it got better with years, and also the level of women's tennis really raised for the past years. I think also with, you can see it with sponsorships, with different kind of events that now women participating, the views for the TV, as well.

I think now it's at their top, because when I started, I think it was, yeah, still working, still building in a way. Now, yeah, it's been great, I think, for women's tennis. Yeah, just I think it's nice to see that evolving.

Q. You were in the stands for Stan in Geneva. Can you explain what do you think about him? And if you see him maybe sometime off the court with Gael in Switzerland?

ELINA SVITOLINA: Yes, Gael is very close with him, so of course I was happy to join Gael for Stan's match. It was great to see him win his match there one more time in Geneva, in his home country.

I mean, he's such a big inspiration, Stan, you know, still competing at 41, I think. So it's, yeah, great to see him. His amazing career, as well, you know, in that generation with Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, winning slams, you know, being a big competitor for them.

Yeah, it's just great to still have him for the last year and really enjoy his backhands down the line (smiling).