MELBOURNE, Australia — Elina Svitolina made an impressive comeback after trailing 4-1, securing an incredible 6-4, 6-1 win against Veronika Kudermetova on Monday. This victory marks Svitolina’s return to the Australian Open quarterfinals for the third time in her career, and it’s her 12th appearance in the last eight at a Grand Slam tournament. After a gap since 2019, this moment is particularly special for the 30-year-old Ukrainian.
Reflecting on her journey, Svitolina expressed, “It feels like a lifetime ago.” Since her last performance in the quarterfinals in Australia, she married French tennis player Gael Monfils in 2021 and welcomed their daughter, Skai, the following year. “A lot has changed, and I’m extremely happy with my performances during this tournament. This win today is something I’m truly enjoying.”
Svitolina, seeded No. 28, stated that her primary focus after losing two early service games was simply to keep fighting. “When situations aren’t in your favor, the only approach is to put your head down and work harder,” she said. “I am really pleased that I managed to come back and win in straight sets.”
Dressed in a striking red outfit, including a dress, shoes, and cap, Svitolina had the support of fans waving the yellow and blue flag of Ukraine throughout the match. Kudermetova took a medical timeout for abdominal treatment while trailing 5-4, managing to save a set point before Svitolina clinched the set in just 50 minutes.
Following the first set, Kudermetova sought further treatment off the court. As the second set began, Svitolina opened with a hold before Kudermetova responded, saving a breakpoint and leveling at 1-1 with a loud cheer after hitting a forehand winner down the line. However, that was the last of her celebrations for the match.
Svitolina demonstrated not only her power and strength but also her tactical skills, using a drop shot to draw Kudermetova to the net before lobbing over her head to take the next game. While there was no post-match handshake between Svitolina and Kudermetova, their relationship remained cordial.
Looking forward, Svitolina’s next challenge will be in the quarterfinals against either Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, or No. 19 seed Madison Keys. Meanwhile, her husband, Monfils, was set to compete later in the day against No. 21 seed Ben Shelton after an impressive run that included an upset victory over fourth-seeded Taylor Fritz. Svitolina voiced her enthusiasm about Monfils’ performance, saying, “The way he’s playing right now is something special.”
Other quarterfinal matchups include defending champion Jannik Sinner facing No. 13 seed Holger Rune and five-time major winner Iga Swiatek taking on Eva Lys, a lucky loser from the qualifying rounds, in a night match.
