Elina Svitolina discusses mental toll of war after historic Billie Jean King Cup run

The Ukrainian national tennis team reached its first historical final in the Billie Jean King Cup held in Shenzhen, China, before falling 0-2 to the Czech Republic. In the final match, Linda Noskova secured the title for the Czech team by defeating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-6 (5).

Following the tournament, Elina Svitolina spoke about the significant mental burden caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine. She noted that despite nearly five years passing, the pressure from the conflict and social media makes competing on the professional circuit extremely difficult. Svitolina emphasized that representing her country provides immense honor and serves as motivation to use her platform to provide relief and unity for Ukrainians during these challenging times.

Beyond competition, Svitolina continues her humanitarian efforts through the Elina Svitolina Foundation, which focuses on youth tennis development and mental health programs for young athletes affected by the war.