Ukrainian super mum Elina Svitolina beats Russian No 1 Daria Kasatkina to reach French Open quarter-finals… then thanks ‘really brave’ opponent for anti-war stance
- Elina Svitolina beat seed Daria Kasatkina 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to reach the last eight
- It is the 28-year-old’s first Grand Slam tournament since she became a mother
- She thanked Kasatkina for speaking out against the Russia invasion of Ukraine
Less than eight months ago Elina Svitolina was giving birth to her first child. Now she is emerging as a standard bearer for Ukrainian sport.
The besieged nation’s best-known player last night moved into the French Open quarter-finals when she beat, of all players, Russian No 1 Daria Kasatkina.
There was no handshake after her 6-4, 7-6 victory against the world No 9, although there was some minor mutual acknowledgement. This was a more nuanced encounter than some of the grudge matches that have taken place so far this fortnight.
Of all the players from her country, Kasatkina has been the bravest in expressing anti-war sentiment, publicly at least. Reinforcing that was the presence in her support box of Zemfira, a now France-based Russian singer who has been declared a foreign agent by her government, because of her outspoken opposition to what is happening in Ukraine.
After losing a hard-fought tiebreak 7-5, the Russian player had flicked a quick thumbs up to Svitolina, shook the umpire’s hand and then headed to her chair.
Ukraine’s super mum Elina Svitolina has advanced to the quarter-finals of the French Open
There was a small gesture of reciprocation: ‘Definitely I acknowledged her,’ said Svitolina ‘I’m really thankful for her position that she took. She’s a really brave person to say it publicly, and not so many players did.’
There was never likely to be any booing in response to the lack of formalities this time as the winner is married to French player Gael Monfils, with whom she now has a daughter, Skai.
‘I would never have dreamed of this when I was giving birth in October. Now I know what Gael was experiencing all these years and I really thank the crowd,’ she said after setting up a potential last eight match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
Svitolina credited the long break around her pregnancy for her being able to attack the tour with a renewed gusto: ‘My mind rested. My body rested in the best way that it could, this period really helped me to refresh. Then when I start training in January, I was extremely motivated. Like never before almost. I’m starting with experience that I have and with freshness as well, which is why I have been able to come back so quickly.’
The last few weeks have beaten all expectations. Svitolina is a former world No 3, but only returned to the circuit in April. She is on a nine-match winning streak after claiming the WTA title in the previous week in Strasbourg. Her nominal ranking of 192 made this an upset on paper, but she has long been Ukraine’s best player of either sex, and better known than Lesia Tsurenko, who plays top seed Iga Swiatek today in the fourth round.
Svitolina beats Russian No 1 Daria Kasatkina in straight sets at Roland Garros on Sunday
Potentially, Svitolina could become the story of a tournament which has drawn much focus on to the strains between those from Ukraine and those from Russia and Belarus.
She was awaiting the winner of the evening match between Sabalenka and Sloane Stephens, who were battling out the first women’s match which has been put in the separately-ticketed night session.
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz moved to within one match of a much-anticipated semi-final when they both enjoyed the most straightforward of fourth-round victories.
Alcaraz took apart Lorenzo Musetti, the Italian who knocked out Cam Norrie, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Djokovic swept aside little-known Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas by the same margin, and he will now face Russian powerhouse Karen Khachanov. Both the Serb and the Spaniard have won 76 games so far in this tournament, the only difference being that Alcaraz has dropped a set.
There was no handshake but Svitolina thanked her opponent for speaking out against the war
Andy Murray will open up his grass court campaign on Monday at Surbiton amid more signs that he is looking to play on into 2024.
The twice Wimbledon champion is in the process of tying up a deal which will see Scottish doubles player Jonny O’ Mara consistently travel around the tour with him as a hitting partner-cum-coaching adviser into next year.
Murray has not played since a heavy loss to Stan Wawrinka in a clay court Challenger event in Bordeaux, which precipitated the decision for him to skip the French Open and concentrate on the grass.
His first opponent in the Lexus Challenger taking place in south-west London will be one of the tour’s forgotten men, Hyeon Chung of Korea.
