Elina Svitolina makes a startling admission about her trips home to Ukraine.
The former world number three is discussing visiting her troubled homeland and how it fits in with life as a new mother.
Her husband, fellow tennis player Gael Monfils, is, she reveals, “really worried” about her safety.
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But Svitolina told the PA news agency: “Of course it’s unsafe because the country’s in a state of war. I have to plan it really well with the safety measures and be careful always. But mentally I feel safer in Ukraine than anywhere else in the world.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine coincided with the early stages of Svitolina’s pregnancy – baby Skai was born in October – and she was absent from the match court for a year.
As one of Ukraine’s most high-profile sportspeople, the hiatus gave her an opportunity to dive fully into doing what she could to support her compatriots.
Alongside family snaps and pictures of her on-court exploits, Svitolina’s Instagram feed features images of her highlighting the heartbreaking damage caused to Ukraine and in meetings with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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Along with former Ukraine footballer Andriy Shevchenko, the 28-year-old is an ambassador for United24, the country’s official fundraising platform, while her own foundation, set up to support young tennis players, has widened its remit to provide relief for Ukrainian refugees.
Former boxer Vitali Klitschko made the switch from sport to politics and has a prominent role in Ukraine as mayor of Kyiv, but Svitolina is content with using her sporting profile to help her country.
“I’ve been quite interested in politics, and especially this time when I was pregnant, I have lots of friends who have different positions in Ukrainian politics and many friends as well who know a lot about it,” she said.
“But I never really wanted to go that way. I just want to be aware what is happening in my country, to learn and to understand how we can help at different levels for the people.
“I’m really happy with the position I have right now, using my platform, using my voice in every possible way through sports. This is my way and I feel I’m in the right place, and I want to use it as much as possible to help people.”
Next week sees Svitolina return to Wimbledon, where her best performance was a run to the semi-finals in 2019.
Svitolina’s ranking was not high enough to earn her direct entry into the championships but the All England Club awarded her a wild card.
She will hope to make a similar impression to her emotional French Open return, where she followed up a WTA Tour title in Strasbourg by reaching the quarter-finals to propel her back into the top 100.
“For sure it was a great step forward for me,” said Svitolina, who only returned to the tour in April.
“I played really well in Strasbourg, Roland Garros was a great run for me, so I’m really happy I could find again this fighting spirit, playing well under pressure. Hopefully I can build on that. I’m really motivated to go back on the practice court and find again my good game and my good mindset.”
Svitolina will hope, also, that the Wimbledon crowd are more generous should she face a Russian or Belarusian player after she was booed in Paris for sticking to the Ukrainian position of not shaking hands with opponents from the two aggressor nations.
She knows she has work to do on grass, which is not such a natural surface for her, and her first match in Birmingham last week ended in a one-sided loss to Czech teenager Linda Fruhvirtova.
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Svitolina now has to juggle training with life as a mother and managing the conflicting feelings of spending time away from Skai.
“It’s not easy, especially a performance like (against Fruhvirtova), it makes you feel not great,” she says.
“But me and Gael decided it’s going to be a better way for her as well to not travel so much because it’s very draining travelling, different zones. She will be coming to London if we both play there so it will be nice to spend some time together.
“I think the hardest thing is for sure being away from the baby. Also finding the mindset again, playing matches. Physically I feel I’m there and I’m hitting fine but the mindset of being in the match and being focused from the start until the end, this has been the most challenging to me.”
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Always on her mind as well will be Ukraine and Svitolina is already thinking of when she might be able to return to her home city of Odesa.
“I’m looking to go back home in the near future,” she says. “I don’t know exactly when, maybe in a few months, maybe half a year. Obviously the tennis season is packed with tournaments but, as soon as I have the opportunity, I will definitely plan to go there.
“I want to see my grandmother, who is there, my dad was there as well for a couple of weeks. And just to see my friends, to go back to my home. I really miss my country and especially what is now happening, lots of damage to a lot of the cities that mean a lot to me.”
Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov sweep aside Finland at Davis Cup
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov moved Canada to the brink of qualification in the Davis Cup Finals group stage, comfortably dispatching Finland in Manchester.
Shapovalov needed just an hour and 13 minutes to beat Eero Vasa 7-6 (7-2) 6-2, backing up his win against Argentine Francisco Cerundolo on Tuesday.
The Canadian served five aces to his opponents' three, producing three love games in the final set to get his nation off to a flying start.
Auger-Aliassime followed up Shapovalov's victory with another straight sets win, this time over Otto Virtanen, emerging a 6-2 6-3 victor.
The world number 21 was dominant on serve throughout his 73-minute triumph, saving all three break points he faced and winning 86% of his first-serve points.
Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov then prevailed in the doubles against Harri Heliovaara and Virtanen in another straight sets win, putting them top of Group D without dropping a set against their opponents.
Nadal confirms Laver Cup withdrawal to help Team Europe 'deliver the win'
Rafael Nadal confirmed he will not participate in next month's Laver Cup, believing there are "other players who can help the team deliver the win" for Team Europe.
Nadal last played at the Paris Olympics alongside Carlos Alcaraz in the men's doubles, with the Spanish duo knocked out at the quarter-final stage at Roland Garros.
The 38-year-old also competed in the singles but was hampered by a thigh problem in Paris and suffered a second-round loss to eventual gold medallist Novak Djokovic.
Nadal participated in the inaugural edition of the Laver Cup seven years ago, defeating Jack Sock to help Team Europe claim a 15-9 victory.
It is yet to be confirmed who will replace the 22-time grand slam champion in Berlin next month as captain Bjorn Borg now goes in search of adding to his star-studded line-up.
Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas have already been confirmed as the participants to face Team World in Berlin.
Nadal posted a statement on social media, saying that he was making the decision for the benefit of the team.
“I’m really disappointed to share that I won’t be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin next week," Nadal said.
"This is a team competition and to really support Team Europe, I need to do what’s best for them and at this moment there are other players who can help the team deliver the win.
"I have so many great, emotional memories from playing in the Laver Cup, and I was really looking forward to being with my teammates and with Bjorn in his final year as Captain.
"I wish Team Europe the very best of luck and will be cheering them on from afar.”
The news will accelerate speculation that retirement could be imminent for the Spaniard, who was unsure of his future following his exit from the Olympic Games.
Alcaraz grinds through to help Spain to Davis Cup win
Carlos Alcaraz got a stroke of luck as he helped Spain make a winning start to the Davis Cup Finals group-stage campaign against Czechia as Tomas Machac retired through injury.
The French Open and Wimbledon champion dropped the first set 6-7 (3-7), but rallied to finish the second 6-1, forcing a decider after getting two vital breaks.
However, Machac pulled up in the opening game of the third set with cramp and was unable to carry on after one hour and 41 minutes on the court.
It followed Roberto Bautista's flying start in their opening singles match in Group B as he cruised past Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7-1) 6-4, with the Czech making 27 unforced errors as he failed to find an edge.
In the doubles, Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers then had to dig deep, coming from behind to beat Adam Pavlasek and Jakub Mensik in three sets to give Spain a 3-0 victory and take them top of the group.
Meanwhile, Great Britain also made a bright start to their campaign in Group D, despite US Open semi-finalist Jack Draper sitting out.
Dan Evans got them started in Manchester with a hard-earned 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 victory over Eero Vasa of Finland, converting both of his break points in the second set.
Billy Harris followed that up with an impressive tournament debut, looking unflappable as he earned the hosts an unattainable lead with his 6-4 7-6 (7-4) win over Otto Virtanen.
Finland got themselves on the board in the doubles though, with Evans and Neal Skupski unable to get the better of Harri Heliovaara and Virtanen ensuring it was only a 2-1 loss.
Elsewhere, the United States joined Germany at the top of Group C with their 3-0 win over Chile and Italy's Matteo Arnaldi held off a spirited Thiago Monteiro to put them in control against Brazil in Group A after Matteo Berrettini's earlier victory.
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