Ukrainian Tennis Star Elina Svitolina Expresses Regret Over War in Emotional Wimbledon Performance
Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina has publicly expressed her regret over the ongoing war in her country, sparking a mix of emotions during her recent Wimbledon semi-final match.
Svitolina, from Odessa, Ukraine, defeated Chinese player Xinyu Wang 6-2 and 6-1 in the match, but it was not the victory that garnered the most attention. Instead, it was her decision to wear a black ribbon on her chest, a poignant symbol of her regret over the devastating attacks on Ukrainian cities, including the capital kyiv, which have resulted in the deaths of an estimated 60 people, including children in a children’s hospital.
In a emotional post-match statement, Svitolina revealed that competing on the court has become difficult for her in light of the ongoing conflict. Her opponent in the penultimate round is Russian-born Elena Rybakina, who plays with a Kazakh passport, a circumstance that has raised tensions.
Svitolina has been vocal about her disdain for Russian and Belarusian tennis players who do not condemn the military aggression in Ukraine. She has declined to shake hands with her opponents after matches, stating, "If they support military aggression, they want our death."