By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Monday, May 29, 2023
Former World No. 3 Elina Svitolina is having fun with her time again on the courts after not too long ago giving start to her first little one with husband Gael Monfils.
Yet, she is hoping her success attracts extra consideration and motion to the continuing battle in her native Ukraine.
Svitolina, a three-time former Roland Garros quarterfinalist, secured a robust opening spherical 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 26 seed Martina Trevisan of Italy.
Back in enterprise 👊@ElinaSvitolina maintains her unbeaten streak in #RolandGarros first spherical matches defeating Trevisan 6-2, 6-2. pic.twitter.com/wKv1ap7MuI
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2023
The win for the 28-year-old Svitolina comes recent off the heels of her successful the WTA occasion in Strasbourg final week. The Ukraine native continues to make use of her platforms to attract extra consideration and motion to the continuing battle in her nation. That included her donating all her prize cash from Strasbourg to aid efforts in her nation.
Yet Svitolina criticized what she known as “empty words” that aren’t serving to.
“Well, what I discovered, that a variety of, I do not know in a nicer option to say, however a variety of garbage is occurring across the state of affairs the place now we have to concentrate on what the principle level of what’s going on, of lots of people, Ukrainian individuals, need assistance and wish help. We are specializing in so many, you already know, issues like empty phrases, empty issues that aren’t serving to the state of affairs, not serving to something, Svitolina stated after her match.
The ongoing battle between Russia and Ukraine has impacted each the ATP and WTA excursions for the final yr and a half.
Just yesterday, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine endured tense post-match interviews after Kostyuk refused to shake Sabalenka’s hand after their first spherical match that Sabalenka received.
Svitolina has been overtly crucial of the WTA for its preliminary response to the battle. During a latest interview with French newspaper L’Equipe, Svitolina was quoted as saying, “The WTA should have done more, much more, on many issues. Now it’s too late. There have been a lot of press releases, a lot of interviews. It was useless.”
Glad to have you ever again, @ElinaSvitolina 😁#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/nvIPGvpP3Y
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2023
For Svitolina, she feels it’s time for extra motion throughout to discover a resolution to the problem.
“So proper now my focus, and I need to invite everybody to concentrate on serving to Ukrainians,” Svitolina said. “That’s the principle level of this, you already know, to assist youngsters, to assist ladies who misplaced their husbands as a result of they’re on the struggle and they’re preventing for Ukraine.
“We are lacking the principle level that folks now at the moment, they need assistance as by no means earlier than. The youngsters, you already know, they’re dropping their dad and mom, they’re dropping components of their physique.
“You know, there may be so many issues that we will do and assist in other ways. You can donate couple of {dollars} may assist and save lives. Or donate your time to one thing to assist individuals. You know, we’re lacking the principle level of all of that and speaking, speaking, speaking about nothing. Well, right here, empty, fully empty phrases. Not serving to.”
Svitolina will subsequent face Australia’s Storm Sanders within the second spherical.
Photo credit score: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Content Source: www.tennisnow.com