Svitolina motivated to fly the flag for Ukraine at Paris 2024
Elina Svitolina has all the motivation she could possibly need to put together her best run at an Olympic Games when the Paris 2024 tennis event kicks off this weekend.
The Ukrainian, who has always relished pulling on her country’s colours in the Billie Jean King Cup, not only wants to do her nation proud because of the ongoing conflict at home, but she also has the added honour of being one of Ukraine’s flagbearers at the Opening Ceremony tomorrow night.
“At such a difficult time right now for my country it’s such a huge honour for me to represent my country,” explained Svitolina, who was one of five tennis stars to attend Thursday’s draw on site at Roland Garros. “To be among so many great Ukrainian athletes, it’s always been such a privilege to represent Ukraine.”
Svitolina is no stranger to the Olympic Tennis Event. The 29-year-old pulled off a stunning upset against Serena Williams in the women’s singles during the third round at Rio 2016, and at Tokyo 2020 she came home with a bronze medal around her neck after defeating Elena Rybakina to finish third.
This could be the Ukrainian’s last chance to add a gold medal to her trophy cabinet, so there’s no extra incentive required for her to leave it all out on court when she starts her campaign against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima this weekend.
She added: “It’s a huge motivation for me to play well, to compete, to really fight for the wins towards a medal, to finally know I could have this moment to win the first gold medal in tennis for Ukraine.”
With this year’s Games taking place in Paris, tennis players are well accustomed to the surroundings of the Roland Garros complex, but there are some things that are taking a little getting used to according to Svitolina.
The site is dressed with Paris 2024 branding – not something that any of the players have ever seen before.
“It’s very different,” Svitolina said. “Very strange in a way. We saw Roland Garros six weeks ago and it’s a very different thing. But I’m happy that these Olympics are in Paris and it’s going to be another special one.”
The tennis event starts on Saturday with the first day’s order of play to be announced in due course.