Elina Svitolina: Why Winning Never Felt Like Enough

Elina Svitolina opens up about the pressure to win, the fear of losing, and learning that a Grand Slam won’t define her worth. In this episode of Tennis Insider Club, Elina joins Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran for an honest conversation about the expectations that shaped her career—from leaving home at 12 and feeling she needed to win almost every match, to dealing with Grand Slam disappointments and finding a healthier relationship with tennis. She shares the difficult parts of her comeback after pregnancy, how quickly expectations returned with her results, and why she needed to step away when the emotional weight became too much. We also talk about life with Gael Monfils, the advice he gave her about winning a Grand Slam, raising their daughter Skai, representing Ukraine, and finding purpose beyond the tennis court. Elina still believes she can win a Grand Slam. She also believes she can have a great career—and a happy life—without one. CHAPTERS 00:00 The pressure to win: episode preview 00:40 How Elina started playing tennis 02:25 Junior success and the difficult road to turning pro 05:35 Leaving home at 12 and pressure from her parents 09:15 Changing her mindset and coping with painful losses 11:45 Why a Grand Slam won’t define her career 14:45 Working with a psychologist and Gael’s perspective 17:25 What keeps her motivated 19:30 Ukraine, her foundation, and finding balance beyond tennis 23:50 Pregnancy and uncertainty about returning 25:25 The reality of coming back after childbirth 29:35 How success brought the pressure back 31:20 Becoming a more aggressive player 33:00 When tennis became too much—and taking a break 37:10 Recognizing emotional exhaustion 39:30 Learning to listen to yourself 41:15 Life, love, and training with Gael Monfils 44:45 How motherhood changed her priorities 46:45 Would she want her daughter to play tennis? 50:40 Managing expectations around winning a Grand Slam 52:45 The nerves of watching each other compete 53:50 Her advice for young tennis players Which part of Elina’s story resonated with you most? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe to Tennis Insider Club for more honest conversations with the people behind professional tennis. Hosted by Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran. #ElinaSvitolina #TennisInsiderClub #Tennis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.