Elina Svitolina Lauds Kim Clijsters’ Post-Pregnancy Grand Slam Achievements: “She Is Such a Legend”

Elina Svitolina started her campaign on the grass swing at the Berlin Open. After receiving a walkover from Anna Kalinskaya, the sixth seed breezed past Eva Lys to schedule her quarterfinal match against Alexandra Eala, who upset World No.2 Elena Rybakina in the previous round.

Following her win over Lys, Svitolina was asked during her on-court interview whether she has ever exchanged ideas with fellow mom Kim Clijsters. The now-retired Belgian won one Major before motherhood but won three (2009 US Open, 2010 US Open, and the 2011 Australian Open) afterward the birth of her daughter Jada Elle Lynch. She clinched the 2005 US Open before motherhood.

No, actually, but I saw she was happy with the way I was coming back. She gave an interview about me… It was cool. It was nice to have some inspiration from her. She’s such a legend. Winning Grand Slams after you become a mom is very special.

Elina Svitolina said

Svitolina, after giving birth to her daughter Skai in October 2022, returned from maternity leave in April the next year. And since then, she has clinched one WTA 1000 title (this year’s Italian Open by beating Coco Gauff), reached two Grand Slam semifinals (this year’s Australian Open and the 2023 Wimbledon), and also got back inside the top 10. At present, the former World No.3 sits at the eighth spot.

Svitolina, the winner of 20 singles titles from 25 finals, has never reached the championship on grass. This year, she has made three finals, winning the ASB Classic by beating Wang Xinyu and the Italian Open against Gauff, but lost the Dubai Tennis Championships to Jessica Pegula.

Before starting her campaign on grass, Svitolina played her career’s sixth quarterfinal at the French Open, but this time as well, she failed to reach the semifinals. Countrywoman Marta Kostyuk ended her run.

Kim Clijsters on Emma Raducanu’s decision to re-hire coach Andrew Richardson

Emma Raducanu has once again started working with coach Andrew Richardson. It was under him that the 23-year-old lifted her career’s first and only title so far, at the 2021 US Open. But they split just about a couple of weeks after her triumph.

And since then, there has been constant chopping and changing of coaches. She re-hired him before the Queen’s Club Championships, where she reached her career’s third final but failed to end her title drought, losing the match to Donna Vekic. Reacting to Raducanu’s decision to re-hire Richardson, Kim Clijsters said on her Love All podcast:

I remember being a little bit surprised when Emma decided pretty soon after the US Open, if not right after, to change coaches. When you have such a great result, and then to see the coaching change, I don’t know what happened there for them to split up, but to see that she’s now back with him and to have a great result, her best result since that US Open probably, is really nice to see.

Raducanu was scheduled to face Karolina Pliskova in the Nottingham Open, but she withdrew from the tournament. She will next be playing at Wimbledon, the main draw of which starts on June 29.

Raducanu has reached the fourth round twice, in 2021 and 2024, while last year, her run ended in the third round with a straight-set defeat to eventual champion Iga Swiatek, who, in the title clash, double-bageled Amanda Anisimova.

The only Major apart from the 2021 US Open, where Raducanu has reached the fourth round, is Wimbledon. Prior to the Queen’s Club, the Brit had also made the final of the Transylvania Open but lost the match to Sorana Cirstea. Because of her Queen’s run, Raducanu reached the No.31 spot in the rankings table.

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