“I’m motivated like never before”: Svitolina moves into third round, takes out 28th seed Mertens

Ukrainian wildcard Elina Svitolina defeated Belgian Elise Mertens, the No 28 seed, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 to advance to the third round of Wimbledon at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on Thursday.

Svitolina, ranked No 76, will face American qualifier Sofia Kenin next.

“I expected to play well and, you know, playing for so many years in the top level, you want to play well, you want to come back to that level, you want to play in the big stages, win these big matches,” Svitolina said in her press conference afterwards, reflecting on her return since giving birth last year.

“So you kind of expect, but in a way, of course, is very difficult road to come back to your best form, to your best game.

“I just try to not be so hard on myself when I was not winning so many matches. I knew that I was playing the right way. Just few points I was not playing aggressive, I was not, you know, taking so much risk. And now everything is back to good, and I’m feeling that I’m in a good form right now. Since Strasbourg I have been striking the ball really well and feeling really well.

“I cannot compare it to what it was before the pregnancy. Now is very different. It’s like something new in my game. Also my mindset is very fresh now, I’m really motivated like never before.

“Yeah, just happy with where I am right now.”

You might also like this

“I feel like I’m 17 again” – Svitolina thriving at pressure-free Roland-Garros

tennis majors

“I admire the mothers doing everything by themselves!” Elina Svitolina on juggling work and parenthood

tennis majors

The Ukrainian won against American wildcard Venus Williams (6-4, 6-3) ahead of her victory.

In the previous round of The Championships, Mertens, ranked No 28, won against Slovak qualifier Viktoria Hruncakova (7-6 (2), 6-2).

London (Grand Slam), other second-round results (All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, grass, GBP 16.077.000, most recent results first):

• Varvara Gracheva vs. Aryna Sabalenka
• Madison Brengle vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova
• Marta Kostyuk vs. Paula Badosa
• Natalija Stevanovic vs. Tamara Korpatsch
• Ons Jabeur vs. Zhuoxuan Bai
• Jessica Pegula vs. Cristina Bucsa
• Alize Cornet vs. Elena Rybakina
• Anastasia Potapova vs. Kaja Juvan
• Sloane Stephens vs. Donna Vekic
• Viktoriya Tomova vs. Katie Boulter
• Sorana Cirstea vs. Jelena Ostapenko
• Marie Bouzkova vs. Anett Kontaveit
• Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs. Rebeka Masarova
• Danielle Collins vs. Belinda Bencic
• Magda Linette vs. Barbora Strycova
• Beatriz Haddad Maia vs. Jaqueline Cristian
• Leylah Fernandez vs. Caroline Garcia
• Mirra Andreeva vs. Barbora Krejcikova: thursday
• Veronika Kudermetova vs. Marketa Vondrousova: thursday
• Nadia Podoroska vs. Victoria Azarenka: thursday
• Ana Bogdan beat Alycia Parks: 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
• Lesia Tsurenko beat Katerina Siniakova: 6-4, 6-1
• Sofia Kenin beat Xinyu Wang: 6-4, 6-3
• Petra Martic (30) beat Diane Parry: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
• Iga Swiatek (1) beat Sara Sorribes Tormo: 6-2, 6-0
• Daria Kasatkina (11) beat Jodie Burrage (WC): 6-0, 6-2