Svitolina rides wave of French Open support to reach quarter-finals
- 04 Jun 2023
Elina Svitolina, playing her first Grand Slam since becoming a mother, reached the French Open quarter-finals for the fourth time on Sunday.
The Ukrainian defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) for a seventh win in seven meetings against the Russian who was a semi-finalist last year.
As with all her matches, Svitolina opted not to shake hands with her Russian opponent in protest at the war in Ukraine. Kasatkina still gave her rival a friendly thumbs-up.
"The support was really special today," said the 28-year-old Svitolina who has been adopted as an honorary Frenchwoman due to her marriage to French tennis star Gael Monfils. "Now I know what Gael has experienced all these years."
Svitolina, also a quarter-finalist in Paris in 2015, 2017 and 2020, saw a match point disappear in the 10th game of the second set but made no mistake on her second chance in the tiebreaker.
"When I was giving birth to our daughter in October, I never believed I would go all the way to the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam," she added.
"It's a special feeling. I hope I can push even further. I am really motivated to give everything in my next matches."
Svitolina will face either world number two and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka or former US Open winner Sloane Stephens for a place in what would be her third semi-final at the majors.
Agence France-Presse