Elina Svitolina, at 32 years old, retains her belief that she can win her first Grand Slam title, despite a shift in how she approaches this pursuit. Speaking on the Tennis Insider Club podcast hosted by Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran on September 29, Svitolina emphasized that while winning a Grand Slam remains a significant goal, it will not dictate her sense of success or happiness.
Read More
Svitolina stated, "I believe I can win a Grand Slam. I think I have the level to do it, that I can play consistently enough for two weeks to make it happen. But if it’s not meant to be for me, I will accept that too. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being depressed because I didn’t manage to win that Grand Slam."
Having reached the semifinals of major tournaments four times, including the Australian Open this year, she also has six quarterfinals at Roland-Garros and semifinals at both Wimbledon and the US Open. This experience has allowed her to adopt a more relaxed outlook on her career aspirations.
“I am much more at peace. I will give myself every possible chance to achieve it, but if fate decides otherwise, it’s not a big deal. I will be happy with my family, with my children, and I will enjoy life. If I stopped tennis tomorrow, I would already have had a very beautiful career and I would have given everything,” Svitolina remarked.
Her new perspective has been shaped by both therapy and discussions with her husband, Gaël Monfils, who helped her reframe her thoughts on the importance of a Grand Slam title. Svitolina admitted she was concerned that the lack of such a title might undermine her career’s worth. However, Monfils reassured her that a Grand Slam win would not alter her achievements or define her as a person.