“I would have signed up for this”

8 years away from the previous triumph in Rome, Elina Svitolina returned and added a new title to her record at the Foro Italico, but also in the general one. The 20th trophy, the round number he wanted to reach.

After the emotions settled down, the 31-year-old Ukrainian came to the press conference with the beautiful cup, placed it on the table and then answered the questions of the few journalists who remained after a long day, altered by the rain.

The women's final was not only exciting, with a plot that was difficult to predict, but also lasted almost 3 hours. “It was undoubtedly an extremely difficult match. I'm very happy with the way I controlled my emotions, not only today, but throughout the tournament. I think these two weeks have been tough, but I'm very satisfied with the way I played and the way my body responded in these difficult matches. I'm really proud of the effort,” Elina began.

The current context differs considerably from the previous editions in which Svitolina triumphed in Rome, 2017 and 2018defeating her every time in the last act on Simona Halep. Now a mother – Skai is a stay at home dad, Gael Monfils – she has gained experience, including from the difficult times she's been through. However, is the 2026 success the biggest title of her career?

“I won several titles at different times. It's hard to say which is the most important. Each title has its own story. I think this was one of the most difficult paintings I have ever faced“, the champion admitted. She stated that she is very proud of the way her game has evolved and that she aims to be as consistent as possible on the course of the year. One that, so far, has gone very well.

Elina Svitolina: “I'm optimistic about Roland Garros”

Inevitably, with the start of Roland Garros a week away, Elina Svitolina is climbing the hierarchy of favorites for the Parisian trophy. A situation in which he was twice before, when he won in Rome 8 and 9 years ago, respectively.

“Of course, that gives me a lot of confidence. It makes me look optimistically towards Roland Garros. But I still want to stay focused and work hard, preparing from the first round. They are really strong players. You cannot underestimate them. You have to be ready for matches from the first round, for big battles,” she assured.

Everyone is there to beat you. They have nothing to lose, so expect tough matches. For me, it's just about taking each match one at a time, giving it my all and giving myself a good chance to compete at the highest level – Elina Svitolina

So far, the Ukrainian has reached the quarterfinals 5 times in Paris (2015, 2017, 2020, 2023, 2025), being the only major tournament where she has not reached the semifinals yet.

Elina Svitolina: “It was a gradual process. At the beginning, I wanted to enter the top 100”

She then revealed the confidence she had while pregnant that she would make a strong comeback in tennis, win more major trophies and be back in the Top 10.

“I would have signed up for that, without a doubt. When I came back it was important for me to give myself a good chance to play at the highest level again. I think it was a gradual process. At first I wanted to get into the top 100 because I was starting from scratch, then I aimed for the top 30 to be seeded,” she explained.

“Then, starting last year, I started thinking: «Okay, I think I have the right level. I need to be more consistent and physically stronger. Then I can have a chance to enter the top 10.» We were already playing at a good level. Obviously, you have to believe in it to achieve it. Little by little, I started to believe it. Of course, I'm very proud of the effort and also very proud to be back after surgery. I had surgery two years ago. It was my first surgery by the way. We've had our ups and downs, with a few little obstacles here and there,” she detailed.

Summary of the final from Rome Svitolina – Gauff

In the end, she evaluated the draw in Rome, where she defeated three players from the top 4, considering it one of the strongest she has crossed over the years.

“These matches were very, very tough. I think the only painting I remember that was even harder was the one in Toronto when I won the tournament. And there I faced, if I remember correctly, four players in the top 10. Here I faced former tournament champions who love to play on this court, like Rybakina and Swiatek. Coco also reached the final here. She won Roland Garros and is a very good player on clay,” concluded the new and old champion from Rome.