"I haven’t been feeling like myself lately" - Elina Svitolina announces end to 2025 season, citing mental health reasons

World number 13 Elina Svitolina has abruptly ended her 2025 tennis campaign, deciding to focus on her mental health.

The three-time major semi-finalist last competed in Ukraine's historic Billie Jean King Cup run to the semi-finals, with her defeat against Jasmine Paolini halting their run. They had previously beaten six-time winners Spain in the quarters to reach the semis for the first time.

This has turned out to be the 31-year-old's final competition in 2025, with her releasing a statement on Instagram shedding light on why she is stepping away from the court.

"I haven’t been feeling like myself lately. I’m not in the right emotional space, and I don’t feel ready to play, so I am therefore ending the season here. Over the years, I’ve learned that this sport isn’t about money, fame, or rankings—it’s about being ready to fight and to give your all. Right now, I’m simply not at the level mentally or emotionally to do that. Not every day has to be productive, strong, or full of energy. Some days are heavy—and that doesn’t make me weak. It just means I’m human and need time to rest, to feel, to breathe and to just be.  

"So I’m giving myself the space I need to heal and recharge, instead of forcing it and when I step back on the court, I want to fight with everything I’ve got and put my best self on the court for the fans, for the game and for myself."

It has been an up-and-down season for Svitolina, starting brightly before falling away near the end. She began the year with an Australian Open quarter-final appearance. She most notably defeated Paolini in the third round, but was pegged back against Madison Keys, who would go on to lift the trophy.

After losing in the early stages of the WTA 500 event in Linz, Austria, and the 1000 tournaments in Doha and Dubai, she bounced back with what would be the first of four quarter-finals in 1000 events, losing out to eventual winner Mirra Andreeva.

She could only muster up a fourth-round appearance in Miami, losing to six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek. Her first and sole title of the year came in the 250 event in Rouen, where she swept everyone aside with ease, not even dropping a set.

A semi-final in Madrid would follow this. It was by far her best result in the Spanish capital, after failing to get past the second round in her previous nine attempts. Once more, she would end up losing to the person who went on to clinch glory, this time being world number one Aryna Sabalenka. Svitolina then made the short journey to Rome, an event which she had previously won twice in 2017 and 2018, both against Simona Halep. She could not produce the same incredible feet, surprisingly coming unstuck against Peyton Stearns.

Yet another last-eight appearance closely escorted Rome, this time at Roland Garros, where the Ukrainian number one overcame 2024 finalist Paolini once more before being disposed of by Swiatek. A short but disappointing grass campaign slowed down her progress, as she was upset by Elise Mertens at Wimbledon in the third-round. 

Swiftly moving on from that, Svitolina made yet another quarter-final. She targeted glory in Montreal at the Canadian Open, but was dumped out at the hands of four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka. This pretty much sums up her 2025 season: deep runs in multiple tournaments, but unable to make that next step.

Humiliating opening round exits at the Cincinnati Open and the US Open caused for concerns around the Ukrainian, but she muted them with a fantastic win over former world number two Paula Badosa in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-final.

To conclude, she ended 2025 with a 35-14 record from 15 competitions participated in. She made one semi-final and three quarter-finals in WTA 1000 events, two Grand Slam quarter-finals, and her 18th singles title.