Wimbledon
Switolina ahead of the semi-finals: “The war made me stronger”
Jelina Switolina celebrates her victory. photo
© Alastair Grant/AP/dpa
For Yelina Svitolina, too, nothing is like it was before the Russian attack on Ukraine. The war also changed her as a person.
With her successes at Wimbledon, the Ukrainian tennis player wants Jelina Switolina should bring at least some joy to the people in her homeland, which is suffering from the Russian war of aggression.
“I’ve seen a lot of videos on the Internet where children watch my games on their cell phones. That really melts my heart,” said Switolina after reaching the semi-finals in the classic turf game. “I’m happy that I can bring a little bit of joy into her life.”
“See things from a different perspective”
The war in Ukraine, which has been going on for more than 500 days, has also changed her life, said Switolina. “The war made me stronger,” said the 28-year-old. “Mentally, I no longer see difficult situations on the pitch as a disaster,” said Switolina. “There are worse things in life.”
Switolina, who is married to French tennis pro Gael Monfils, gave birth to her first daughter around nine months ago. She only returned to the tennis tour at the beginning of April after a year’s baby break. “Having a child and the war made me a different person,” Switolina said. “I see many things from a different perspective.”