Elina Svitolina hails young Ukrainians for not quitting tennis despite 'full-scale war'

Elina Svitolina praised young tennis players in Ukraine for not giving up on the sport despite enduring the troubles of the ongoing war for more than a year. The Olympic medalist highlighted the story of one such player back home in Ukraine, applauding him and fellow Ukrainian athletes.

Svitolina returned to the professional tour earlier this month after a year-long gap owing to the birth of her and Gael Monfils' firstborn child. She has been quite vocal about the effects of war in Ukraine and the plight of her compatriots, and has also worked extensively towards relief efforts.

Sharing the story of Ukrainian tennis player Semen Aginsky, Svitolina recently showered praise on her compatriots who are dedicated to their careers.

"Stories of young tennis players who have been living in full-scale war for more than a year...But the most important thing is that they don't stop and continue their way in tennis," Svitolina wrote on Instagram.

Elina Svitolina praises Ukrainian tennis players (via Instagram).

Much like some of her compatriots, Elina Svitolina refused to shake hands at the net with her Russian opponent. Svitolina refused a handshake with Aliaksandra Sasnovich after Sasnovich won their Madrid Open first-round match 6-4, 7-5 earlier this week.

Svitolina recently also shared her views on the possibility of Russian and Belarusian players competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I don't think about it. It's up to the Olympic Committee and the Ukrainian Committee to think about it and do their job! My job, as a player, is to get ready," Svitolina said on the same.

Elina Svitolina unsure of long-term tennis future in light of motherhood

Former WTA world No. 3 Elina Svitolina.

Elina Svitolina is not sure how long she will play professional tennis as spending time with her daughter Skai is at the top of her list of priorities now. Having said that, the Tokyo Games bronze medalist admitted that she has a few goals with regards to her career that she wants to fulfill before retiring.

"I would like to spend all my time with Skai and share every moment with her," Svitolina recently told Punto de Break. "But I decided to return to competition and focus on my tennis. I don't know how many more seasons I will play."

"There are some milestones I would like to achieve before retiring. In the near future I am clear about my plans in the term," she added.

Svitolina will use her protected ranking to play the Italian Open in Rome next. She also plans to play in Strasbourg before making her Grand Slam comeback at the French Open in late May.