Very touched by the events that are shaking her country, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina spoke in an open letter published on Twitter this Sunday. The world number 15, wife of Gaël Monfils, addresses all of her fellow citizens who are currently undergoing a war offensive by Vladimir Putin’s Russia. “I am currently far from you, far from my people but my heart has never felt so full of your soul”, she begins before exteriorizing her deepest feelings. “My people, every day I fear for you. My eyes keep crying, my heart keeps bleeding,” says the player born in the port city of Odessa in southern Ukraine.
All of its prize money, donated to the benefit of the Ukrainian resistance
While one could imagine the Ukrainian forces being subjected to the law of their better-armed and more numerous Russian counterparts, their resistance to the invader proved to be quite remarkable. In her letter, Elina Svitolina did not fail to salute this combativeness on the part of the entire population. “I am so proud to see our people, our mothers, our fathers, our brothers, our sisters, our children, being so brave, so strong in fighting to defend ourselves. They are heroes”.
Currently in Mexico where she is about to play the Monterrey tournament, the Ukrainian has promised to donate all of her future prize money, that is to say the winnings won during the competitions, for the benefit of the war effort. Before concluding, she took care to write a big, bold message calling for help from the international community. “May the world see this and help us join forces to protect you.” The player had also estimated with Eurosport that the mobilization of the world of tennis was not sufficient.
“You are in all my thoughts, in all my prayers. You are always with me. We are Ukraine”, she concludes before signing “Elina Svitolina, a proud Ukrainian”.
