Stronger than ever Svitolina savoring Vondrousova’s test at Wimbledon
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LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) – Ukrainian wildcard Elina Svitolina, after knocking out four Grand Slam champions during her fairytale run to the semifinals of Wimbledon following her maternity break, may believe the stars are finally aligning in the his quest for a first Grand Slam title.
At 28 years old, she has the opportunity to reach her inaugural major final by defeating the resurgent Czech player, Marketa Vondrousova, on Thursday. The former world number three noted that her altered career perspective following the conflict in Ukraine and her transition into motherhood in October has been beneficial.
“I tell myself I think I have fewer years ahead of me than behind me,” said Svitolina, who knocked down major winners Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin and Victoria Azarenka before knocking down another world number one Iga Swiatek.
“I have to try. I have no more time to waste. I don’t know how many years I will play more… You train for these great moments.
Svitolina, who returned to touring in April after giving birth to daughter Skai last October, said the Russian invasion of her country, which Moscow calls a “special military operation,” had changed her.
“The conflict has not only enhanced my physical strength but has also fortified my mental resilience. I no longer perceive challenging situations as disasters. There are worse things in life. I am calmer,” she added.
"Furthermore, I hold the belief that owing to my recent return to competitive play, I am encountering unique pressures.. I want to win. I have this huge motivation to get back on top. But I think having a child and the war has made me a different person.”
Vondrousova has endured routine outings at Grand Slams following her run at the 2019 French Open title clash, where she was beaten by Ash Barty, with the Olympic silver medalist’s career derailed by wrist injuries.
But “no rain no flowers” says a tattoo on her heavily tattooed arm and the 24-year-old Czech is once again showing glimpses of her best form and fighting qualities that could make her clash with Svitolina intriguing.
“We’ve played a few times, so we know each other,” said Vondrousova, who knocked out four seeds in the tournament.
“She’s a wild card, but she’s playing like a top 10. It makes no difference to me. I think in the semis you have to be ready for anything. It’s all inside.”
POWER V GUILE
In the other semifinal, second seeded Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka will meet Ons Jabeur in a match that will pit the raw power of the Australian Open champion against the precision and cunning of the Tunisian.
Sabalenka is currently enjoying a remarkable season, with her journey to the semifinals of Roland Garros after her significant achievement at Melbourne Park. She now aims to make significant progress towards securing her second Grand Slam title of the year.
But in Jabeur, she meets an equally determined rival who knocked out holder Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals to get revenge after losing to the Moscow-born Kazakh in last year’s title clash.
“He has a really good touch. Especially on grass courts, all his slices and drop shots work really well here,” said Sabalenka, who booked her place in the semifinals by beating American Madison Keys.
Sabalenka’s win will ensure she takes the world number one ranking from Swiatek, while Jabeur can remain in the hunt for a maiden major that will make her the first African woman and Arab player to win a Grand Slam singles crown.
“I think that’s the biggest motivation for her. "That's the reason she's performing strongly this season and particularly here at Wimbledon," Sabalenka added.
Jabeur, who lost to Sabalenka in the quarterfinals in 2021, said she needed to stay focused for what will be a different test.
“Aryna is more emotional than Elena, so maybe that could be a good or bad thing, I’m not sure. Let’s see,” Jabeur said. "I am getting ready and seeking retribution for what transpired two years ago."
Reporting of Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bangalore; Edited by Ken Ferris
Our standards: the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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