As grass season hits the summit at Wimbledon, a name that was echoed through the courts last year was Elina Svitolina, yet it is still one that has run under the radar this season. The Ukrainian may not have clinched the Grand Slam title but she surely left her mark.
Elina Svitolina’s Career at Wimbledon
2019 Run
One of the most memorable runs she has had at the All-England Club was in 2019. She came to the grass courts after having a tough start to the season, plagued with a knee injury after Indian Wells. Perhaps one of the standout performances of the No. 8 seed was the grit she displayed against Maria Sakkari. In a match that lasted over two hours, the pair left it all on the court in a three-set thriller. Sakkari started strong, leading the set 3-1 before Svitolina took control, formidable with her return and winning five games to take the first set. The second set saw Sakkari fight fire with fire to drive the set to 5-all and then win the set. Svitolina saved break point after break point and stormed to take the decider 6-2.
She later defeated Czech player Karolína Muchová in straight sets but ultimately fell to Simona Halep in the semifinal.
2023 Run
In 2021, Elina Svitolina only made it to the second round but in 2023, as she returned from her pregnancy hiatus, her strong comeback was one to witness. After entering as a wild card, she faced Venus Williams in the opener. The then-43-year-old had started the match off strongly but during the third game of the first set, she fell hard sustaining an injury to her right knee. The American had put up a fight but finished the match while limping heavily.
An unforgettable match from her run was when she faced Belarusian Victoria Azarenka in the round of 16. Azarenka had won all five of their previous encounters and had started the match off strongly with a 6-2 lead. In the second set, however, she brawled her way from two points down with her strong inside-out forehand to take the set. The final set wasn’t any easier, the power shifting from Ukrainian to Belarusian and back, and had to be decided with a super-tiebreaker. The pendulum swung back and forth but at 9-9, Svitolina managed to beguile a forehand drop shot to reach her first match point and then concluded the match with an ace.
She also shockingly eliminated World No.1 Iga Świątek whom she grazed past to advance to the semifinals. She could’ve wrapped up the match in two sets but was unable to hold off Świątek who hit four winners to grab the second set. Svitolina bounced back swiftly to take the final set, and win the match 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2.
Her brilliant run was ended by Markéta Vondroušová, who gave everything to defeat the Ukrainian. Vondroušová’s inclination to run to the net to finish points and her rolling forehands were no match for Svitolina, ending in her defeat. Regardless, the Ukrainian had already left her mark on the tournament, her comeback moving into the Top 30 of the rankings.
Can she replicate a similar run in 2024?
Svitolina started the year strong at Auckland where she reached the final against Coco Gauff. Her aggressive baseline play made it a remarkably difficult task for Gauff to take the win in a three-set thriller. However, since then she hasn’t made it to the final of a tournament. She’s had some clinical matches this season beating home hero Diane Parry at Roland Garros. She reached the fourth round of the French tournament but was knocked out by World No. 4 Elena Rybakina, struggling to
Her first run on grass at the Bad Homburg Open came to an end in the Round of 32 when she faced Caroline Wozniacki. The Dane took the first set as Svitolina struggled to find her stride early on, losing with nine unforced errors to only four winners. The second set was led by the Ukrainian but Wozniacki rallied to force a tiebreaker and even the match at 1-4. After the Sudden Death gave her a 4-2 advantage, Svitolina reached set point after a superb volley, and she quickly made a scorching forehand putaway to seal the victory. As the pair were beginning the deciding set, slippery conditions caused the match to be delayed. Wozniacki took the final set to win the match.
Her back injury earlier in the year may be attributed to her inconsistency since Auckland. However, her forehand is still a force to be reckoned with and her track record on Wimbledon makes her one to watch out for. Svitolina is no player to underestimate. The World No. 21 has had an amazing comeback and her penchant for an aggressive baseline play makes her a strong contender to make a deep run at the All-England Club.
Elina Svitolina is scheduled to face Magda Linette in the first round on Tuesday.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
