Elina Svitolina takes positives from comeback despite injury at 2024 Australian Open

Elina Svitolina arrived to her post-match press conference feeling stiff and disappointed after a back spasm forced her to retire from the 2024 Australian Open.

“It's tough now to find positives really,” she said after the 0-3 ret. Loss to Linda Noskova, who was fresh off a victory over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

By the time her meeting with the media concluded, the former world No. 3 began to see a few in the rearview mirror in the wake of her first trip Down Under since becoming a mother.

“Yeah, I'm proud of the work and of the situation, stressful situations, and how I've been handling them on the court because this was the most I would say difficult for me as a comeback,” she recalled of her return to action last spring.

“I was, at the beginning, not dealing really well with the stressful situations like the score-wise. Now I feel like I'm much better. I've been playing good matches, beating good players. I feel like I'm at a good place and been playing really well when I was down…everything is back. I feel like I'm striking the ball well.

“The only thing I wish is my health would be better. Before my health was quite stable. I never really had a long-term injury.”

Svitolina, who brought daughter Skaï with her and husband/fellow player Gaël Monfils to Australia, ended her 2023 season after the US Open to heal injuries that cropped up after a blockbuster summer, one that included trips to the Roland Garros quarterfinals and Wimbledon semis. At the latter, she scored a three-set win over Swiatek for her best Grand Slam result since 2019.

“I had good off-season. I've been training really well. Yeah, it's just things like this unexpectedly happen. It's not like a build-up where I had a huge pain in my back and I was expected this one. It really came out of nowhere.

“I just have to take now time to see what is the possibility for the next tournament. I have to take care of my back, of my ankle as well because, I mean, it's good, but when it's fresh off the injury, it takes little bit of time. Then, you know, your body starts to compensate little bit, so I don't know. Maybe it's all connected in a way.”

Seeded No. 19 in Melbourne, Svitolina looked like a favorite to take advantage of an open top half of the women’s draw, but the 29-year-old refused to look at it as a missed opportunity.

“Everyone is strong,” she said. “Everyone is playing great tennis. If they beat Top 10 or if they beat some good players on the way to quarterfinals, semifinal, or the final, that means they are meant to be there.

“Even if you take my opponent today, Linda, I know she beat Iga. She's a good player and played really, really well the matches before as well, so she's in good form. So, I mean, I cannot say that this was like an open draw in a way.”

Unsure of her next tournament, Svitolina will undergo further testing but was optimistic about her chances to resume training within the next week.

“I wish I can come back physically as strong as I was, and I feel like I'm doing everything possible,” she concluded. “The injuries, of course, they're coming and going, but yeah, I just hope that not going to be long-term.”