Svitolina: "The scoreboard does not reflect what the match has been"
Disappointed but aware of her position, that's how the Ukrainian player showed herself after losing in the Australian Open semifinals: "I can't afford to be sad".
It painted a duel of styles loaded with emotion, but Aryna Sabalenka took care of lowering the curtain in an hour and a quarter. Elina Svitolina could do little against the best tennis player in the world, unable to raise her level in these semifinals.
And that makes it four Grand Slam semifinals for Elina Svitolina, although none fell on her side. Today at the Australian Open, there was little history, as she was overwhelmed by an imperial, relaxed, precise Aryna Sabalenka, as if she were playing at home. It could be said she plays at home considering she has reached the final for four consecutive years. On her part, the Ukrainian reflected in a press conference, emphasizing the negatives but embracing the positives. Next week she will return to the top 10, a reward for a promising start to the season.
Tournament Assessment
“Definitely, I am very happy with the two weeks I've had here and the one I had before in New Zealand, where I won the title. Of course, I leave disappointed for reaching the final here, but yes, it is very difficult when you face the current world number 1, who is currently in a superb moment. It was very tough for me today, so I prefer to focus on the positive aspects of these past weeks and the year's start, hoping to maintain this momentum for the rest of the season.”
Disappointed with Her Level
“To be fair, I thought I could return as well today as in previous days when I returned very well. On the other hand, I don't think my serve was good either. I think I was returning well, but then her second serve became incredible, there was no way. She also returned very well, very fast, she was flawless with her second shot after the serve. For all these reasons, she is the world number 1.”
Importance of Serve and Return
“I could have played better, I played good tennis, I think the score doesn't reflect what it has been. Maybe I could have held my serve a couple more times. I didn't serve as well as I wanted, so I couldn't pressure her as much, I felt like she was always ahead. I couldn't pressure her enough with my serve, that's what happens against opponents like her, you don't have time. We're in the final rounds of the tournament, everyone is super focused, so it all comes down to small details. I wish I could play better, but right now I don't want to focus on that, I prefer to look at the good tennis I've shown in these three weeks to move forward.”
Positive Aspects
“My movement has been quite good, I was adapting to the different styles of my opponents, adjusting details, but my footwork always worked. I feel I am in good shape, gaining confidence, looking forward to the upcoming tournaments. There are many things I want to improve, areas where I want to do better, challenge myself and face the best. I feel I am not too far from where I want to be, but there is still a lot of work to do, much to improve.”
Aryna Sabalenka's Level
“I knew what to expect from this match, my level had been good, but she feels very comfortable on these courts. She has won here a couple of times, so she shows that confidence every time she returns. I thought some things might work for me tonight, but in reality, they didn't work, or worked less than I expected. I wish I could have pressured her a bit more, but she had answers for everything. I watched a couple of her early round matches, she was a different player there, but today she was brilliant. I did the best I could, I brought intensity, tried to give myself opportunities, but it didn't work out.”
The Lesson from Svitolina after Being Eliminated from the Australian Open
“I am still disappointed for not having gone further, but I feel I shouldn't allow myself to be sad, I am in a good position now. Today I had the opportunity to play on this court, to represent my country in a decent way, to give myself opportunities, to use my words and remember my people. They have been pushing me these weeks, giving me their vibes, their emotions, this is what motivates me the most. When I wake up in the morning, I see heartbreaking news, but then I see people following my matches, writing comments, this exchange of emotions gives me a lot of energy. I can't complain, there are people going through something terrible in Ukraine, so I can't allow myself to be sad. I am a very fortunate person.”
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Svitolina: “El marcador no refleja lo que ha sido el partido”