"I feel like I'm playing for my whole country": Elina Svitolina maintains Russian and Belarusian player handshake stance

Elina Svitolina has reiterated her stance in an interview with CNN that she will continue to fight for her country and not shake hands of Russian and Belarusian players going into the 2024 season.

Svitolina received booing even at times after refusing to shake hands with Victoria Azarenka, Aryna Sabalenka and Daria Kasatkina, with the latter being against the war and the duo acknowledging each other. But it was a heavy theme of Svitolina's return despite her excellence on the court.

“Each time I step on the court, I’m introduced as a Ukrainian tennis player and I feel like I’m playing for my whole country,” says Svitolina to CNN.

“It’s been a big change since the invasion,” she continued on refusing to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players.

One player who was thought of by many due to her stance on Russian and Belarusian players playing at the Olympic Games was Svitolina as they were confirmed to be allowed to play neutral last week. But she admits she has further concerns than that.

“My position still stays the same, that I don’t think that they should continue playing for their country,” she said. “But right now, my focus is on helping people. We have to take the situation as it is right now and focus on what we can control: focus on some fundraisers, on some events that we can raise funds for, for kids and for Ukraine.”

Those further concerns include friends and family back home in Ukraine and she visits as much as she can while leaving away from the country with her husband, Gael Monfils.

“I have a lot of friends who took [up] weapons and went to the frontline who are serving the country,” says Svitolina. “I’m really proud of everything that they are doing for Ukraine. My family is safe; I have half of my family out of Ukraine right now, half of the family still back there. I go to see them when I have the opportunity.

“I’m just very surprised and proud of the spirit that all Ukrainians have been showing in these difficult times. On a daily basis, they are facing missiles, they are facing a lot of scary moments … and they are continuing to work there, continuing to help each other.”

But this has also meant that her priorities have shifted to leaving a legacy more than winning Grand Slam titles which she still has on her mind but alongside off court matters.

“Of course, I want to win a grand slam,” says Svitolina, “but now I feel like the priorities have changed a lot after giving birth to Skaï and having other goals as well with UNITED24, with my foundation. I feel like priorities have shifted a little bit. I want to play, I want to win; I want to win every single match [when] I step on the court. But right now, I also try to enjoy it, I try to enjoy all this journey that I have and just not put too much pressure on myself.”