"We are focusing on so many things like empty words": Focus should remain on bigger picture according to Svitolina after Sabalenka, Kostyuk clash

Elina Svitolina made a winning start at Roland Garros beating last year's semi-finalist Martina Trevisan and after the match she called for more help to Ukraine.

Svitolina is back to playing her best tennis as she won her first trophy as a mother last week in Strasbourg. During the ceremony, Svitolina admitted that she will donate all the money to Ukraine and that's something she will repeat this week as well. She called for more help for Ukraine because it's needed:

“What I found, I don’t know a nicer way to say, but a lot of rubbish is happening around the situation where we have to focus on the main point of what is going on. A lot of people, Ukrainian people, need help and need support. We are focusing on so many things like empty words, empty things that are not helping the situation, not helping anything. I want to invite everyone to focus on helping Ukrainians."

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She added:

To help kids, to help women who lost their husbands, because they are at the war and they are fighting for Ukraine. The kids, they’re losing their parents, they’re losing parts of their body. There is so many things that we can do and help in different ways. You can donate a couple of dollars, it might help and save lives. Or donate your time. We are missing the main point of all of that and talking, talking, talking about nothing.”

War changed me

Svitolina further admitted that the war changed her:

“I think war changed me in so many ways. I think I treasure more my family, my time with my family, my time just on a daily basis. I really try to understand that how lucky I am to be where I am and to have a voice, as well. Also to play in such big events, to motivate the young kids of Ukraine, to have this opportunity. In so many ways, I’m just grateful that my life turned like that, so that’s why right now I just want to give this little part to the people who need it the most.”