Elina Svitolina recently shared some adorable facts about her baby daughter with Gael Monfils. The Ukrainian tennis player marked her competitive return after 13 months with a wildcard entry at the ongoing WTA 500 Charleston Open. Unfortunately, Svitolina ended up losing her first match as a mother against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in the Round of 64.
Elina Svitolina reveals her daughter’s looks and personality
After her match, Svitolina sat down with Tennis Channel’s Steve Weissman to reflect on her WTA tour return and share some sweet details about her six-month-old baby daughter, Skai. The former World No. 3 stated that Skai had taken after her in both looks and personality. She revealed that, just like her, Skai has a quiet presence, unlike her loquacious husband Gael Monfils.
Elina Svitolina talks about her daughter’s resemblance to Gael Monfils
Svitolina further stated that the only thing Skai had in common with her father Monfils was his small ears. “The only thing she has is his small ears – like Gael,” the 28-year-old said, laughing. “The rest is like me.”
“I pushed through some tough moments” – Elina Svitolina reflects on Charleston Open 2023 match
Elina Svitolina may have lost her first match as a mother, but she staged a commendable battle. She saved a set point and won the first set against Yulia Putintseva in a tiebreak. However, she was unable to maintain her form in the next two sets and ultimately faced a 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4 defeat at the hands of the Kazakh player. Reflecting on her return, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist admitted that the two hours and 46 minutes encounter was physically challenging for her.
Svitolina stated that she was happy with her form in the match and was able to understand her weaknesses better. “I pushed through some tough moments because it was not easy physically for me today. I’m really happy with the way I played today. Now I can see more clear what I have to improve to be better,” she said. The new mother observed that she was implementing her techniques well, but that she had to work on her fitness. “I’m hitting the ball well, just have to work more on my fitness,” she added. “I think few bits here and there are going to help me to keep the focus more consistently. To be there in the moment.” Svitolina is now expected to participate in the Oeiras ITF event in April.
