This story has been updated to reflect Elina Svitolina’s comments in her post-match press conference at Wimbledon.
WIMBLEDON — Elina Svitolina wore a black ribbon during her Wimbledon last-16 match against Wang Xiyu, after Russian missile strikes killed and injured more than 100 Ukrainians across the country this morning.
“It’s a very difficult day today for Ukrainian people,” she said, before beginning to cry.
Her foundation, established in 2019, has brought over 1000 young Ukrainian players into tennis coaching.
When asked whether she would shake her hand at this match, Svitolina said “she changed her nationality, so it means she doesn’t want to represent her original country, so it works.”(Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images)
Persons:
Elina Svitolina’s, WIMBLEDON — Elina Svitolina, Wang Xiyu, ” Svitolina, “, ”, Okhmatdyt, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Svitolina, Yastremska, Varvara Gracheva, Elena Rybakina, Rybakina, Andrej Isakovic
Organizations:
Wimbledon, WIMBLEDON, Russian, ”, Okhmatdyt Children’s, —, All England Club, England Club, Belarusian tennis, ATP, WTA, Kazakhstan tennis, Getty
Locations:
England, Ukraine, Kyiv, Belarusian, Russian, France, Moscow, Kazakhstan, AFP