Former No. 3-ranked Elina Svitolina said she will end her tennis season early because she is “not in the right emotional space.”
“I haven’t been feeling like myself lately,” Svitolina said in a social media post on Instagram which was followed by a statement on the WTA Tour’s website. “I don’t feel ready to play, so I am therefore ending my season here.”
Svitolina, now ranked 13th, said she needed time to rest and recharge.
“When I step back on the court,” she said, “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.”
Svitolina had a strong 2025, finishing with a 35-14 record and one title, the WTA 250 clay tournament in Rouen, France in April. She also had quarterfinal showings at the Australian and French Opens.
But after reaching the quarterfinals in Montreal, she lost her first match in Cincinnati and her first-round match at the U.S. Open.
After her loss to Naomi Osaka in Montreal, Svitolina spoke out about receiving hateful online abuse from frustrated gamblers.
Last week Svitolina helped lead Ukraine to the semifinals of the Billie Jean King Cup in China before losing to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
The 31-year-old Svitolina married French veteran Gael Monfils in 2021 and they have a daughter, Skai, who was born in 2022.
Fellow player Beatriz Haddad Maia also said that she needs an extended period of rest time and will end her 2025 season.
“I am posting this to share with you that I am wrapping up my 2025 season a little ahead of schedule so that I can rest my body and mind for a longer period,” the Brazilian player said. ”…Rest assured that I will come back stronger and the best is yet to come!”
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
