Elina Svitolina- Rising Star or Flash Fame?

With the French Open just a few days away, everyone is looking for a favorite in the women’s draw. With Serena, Azarenka, and Sharapova out of the picture, this French Open could be the perfect set up for the rise of a new dominant player in women’s tennis. One of these prospective champions happens to be Elina Svitolina.

Elina is in no way new to the tour. She turned professional in 2010, been in the top 20 consistently for several years, and even reached the quarterfinals at the French Open, losing to Ana Ivanovic. The 22 year-old has recently reached her career high of No.6, and has won 4 tournaments this year- Taiwan, Dubai, Istanbul, and Rome where she beat Simona Halep in three sets.

Elina’s win in Rome also catapulted her to the number one spot on the Porsche Race to Singapore leader board.

In fact I have had the pleasure of watching Elina play live in an exhibition match. Extremely strong footwork and some big shots are her strengths, and are invaluable tools on clay.  Elina’s path at the French Open may be a long and deep one.

Technique, footwork, and tactics isn’t all that makes a player though. Elina has yet to reach the semi-final of a Grand Slam, and may not be prepared for such high steaks on such a grand stage. In fact, Elina herself has said that she does not believe that she is a favorite at the French Open, and emphasized that the conditions of the court would play a significant role in the outcome of matches.

The Ukrainian’s win in Rome also marks her second Premier 5 title, and she now has 31 match wins this year. In terms of experience, Elina has plenty. In fact she even says in an interview that she has a lot more confidence and mental strength, especially after going through some rough times with her game last year when she was trying to become more aggressive and proactive on court. Mental strength is vital for Grand Slams when tension is at its peak for not just one, but two weeks.

In an interview Elina said:

“I don’t take too much confidence from matches; it needs to come from my mental strength, because you never know what’s going to happen. I always try to fight and not think negatively, only positively. I think I have to keep working, keep moving forward, even do something new or whatever can help my tennis. That’s what I’m doing, and I think that’s helped a lot.”

If Elina can keep up her level of play, as well as keep the mental monsters away, it is highly unlikely that we will see an early exit from her. If Elina can keep up her level of play and mental strength all the way to the second week of the French Open, we may be witnessing the birth of a new champion.

For now though, let’s let Elina take a few days off in Paris with her team before she faces her real test.

This Post by SB