Elina Svitolina: Respect Wimbledon decision to allow Russians, time to kick some a**

Although Elina Svitolina of Ukraine respects Wimbledon's decision to lift the ban on Russians and Belarusians at this year's event, she stated that it was time to "kick some a**" on the tennis court.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, which led the AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club) to ban Russian and Belarusian players from participating in the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. In response, the ATP and WTA decided to cancel the ranking points at the tournament, along with imposing a fine of £1.4 million on the club.

A few days ago, the AELTC remarked that while it continued to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was reversing its decision and allowing players like Daniil Medvedev, Aryna Sabalenka, Andrey Rublev, and Victoria Azarenka to play at SW19 in July.

On Monday (April 3) Svitolina returned to the tour after a year-long layoff, with her last match coming at the 2022 Miami Open. The reasons for the extended break included a back injury and the trauma of the war. In October, she and her husband Gael Monfils welcomed their daughter — Skai.

After receiving a wildcard entry into the main draw of the Credit One Charleston Open, the 28-year-old played her first match since becoming a mother. She lost 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4 to Yulia Putintseva in the opening round.

Speaking to Tennis Channel afterwards, Svitolina reacted to Wimbledon overturning its decision regarding Russian and Belarusian players, saying:

"Well, it's their decision. We have to respect the decision. So yeah, now it's time to get back on the court and kick some a** [laughs]."

Ahead of the ongoing WTA 500 event, the former World No. 3 organized a 'Tennis Plays for Peace Pro-Am' in support of Ukraine. She recalled her recent trip to Ukraine, calling it a "heartbreaking moment."

"It was a tough trip for me but at the same time, I was the happiest person to see my grandmother and the other half of my family as well," Elina Svitolina said. "It's really tough to see my homeland in a state of alert constantly. I went to some cities, completely destroyed by missiles. It was a heartbreaking moment for me. That's why I tried my best to raise money for Ukrainian people and for rebuilding Ukraine."

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Elina Svitolina called for banning Russians and Belarusians from Paris 2024 Olympics earlier this year

Elina Svitolina

Earlier this year, Elina Svitolina demanded a ban on Russians and Belarusians from participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"The Olympics are the biggest dream and ultimate privilege for athletes. They are the largest platform for inclusion and diversity in sports, capturing the attention of the world," Svitolina wrote on Instagram.

"With this in mind, we must stick to banning Russian and Belarusian athletes, sending a strong message worldwide, that we are united in the sanctions imposed against Russia and Belarus and that there are consequences for the heinous acts of their governments; their lives cannot continue as normal and the world, nor the Russian or Belarusian people can be ignorant of the atrocities they are committing in Ukraine," she added.

Elina Svitolina defeated Elena Rybakina to win Ukraine's first Olympic tennis medal (bronze) at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.