July 9th 2024.
During her on-court interview on Monday, Elina Svitolina couldn't hold back her tears as she talked about the current situation in her home country of Ukraine. The 2024 Wimbledon is wearing a black ribbon as a symbol of solidarity with her fellow Ukrainians who are facing the ongoing invasion by Russia, which began in February 2022.
Despite the emotional turmoil, Svitolina managed to secure a convincing 6-2 6-1 victory over China's Xinyu Wang in the last 16. And now, she is set to face 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
This is not the first time Svitolina has made it to the semi-finals at Wimbledon, having achieved the same feat last year. She even caused an upset by defeating world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the process. However, her upcoming match against the fourth-seeded Rybakina will not be an easy one.
As fans eagerly await the highly-anticipated showdown, many are curious about the significance of the black ribbon that Svitolina has been wearing throughout the tournament. The tennis star has revealed that it is a tribute to those who have lost their lives in the recent attack on a children's hospital in Kyiv, which was carried out by Russia.
Despite the strict dress code at Wimbledon that requires players to wear all-white outfits, an exception was made for Svitolina due to the sensitive nature of the current situation in her country. "It's been approved by Wimbledon," Svitolina said about the black ribbon. "I feel it would be understandable after such a big attack on my country."
In an emotional on-court speech after her match, Svitolina struggled to hold back her tears as she said, "It was a good performance from my side today. It's a very difficult day today for Ukrainian people." She also mentioned how difficult it was for her to focus on the match, given the tragic events unfolding in her home country.
During her post-match press conference, Svitolina opened up about the impact of the attack on her and her fellow Ukrainians. "Yeah, it's an incredibly sad day today for all Ukrainians," she said. "It was really difficult for me to be here and do anything. I just wanted to be in my room, just be there with my emotions, with everything. You know, when you have these sad days where you don't want to do anything, it was this kind of day for me."
Svitolina also shared that she still has family and close friends in Ukraine, making the situation even more personal for her. "My dad was just there for a couple of weeks to see my grandmother. I have my uncle and his family there. I have many friends there. Pretty much everyone is based in Ukraine," she said. She also mentioned that she has been in constant contact with fellow Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky, who is helping with her foundation.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Svitolina is determined to give her best on the court and make her country proud. In the face of tragedy, she remains a strong and resilient figure, representing the strength and unity of Ukraine.
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