Elina Svitolina reflects on her Australian Open fourth round exit against Jessia Pegula

The Australian Open is underway and we have witnessed a lot of upsets this summer. However, one of the biggest ones was when former World No.3 Elina Svitolina crashed out of the fourth round of Women’s Singles event after losing to United States’ Jessica Pegula.

The Ukrainian lost the match 4-6,6-3,3-6 against Pegula who has been on a dream run in this Australian Open. The American sparked an upset in the first round by knocking out 2 time Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka. Here against Svitolina also she held her fort and finally got the better of the current World No.5.

Svitolina who looked very comfortable ahead of the fourth round was evidently very disappointing after crashing out in this manner. The Ukrainian clearly said that she did not play to her level and she had a sense that it was not her day mainly with her amount of unforced errors. She also credited her opponent and felt that she had the rhythm in important phases in the game.

“It was not a good day for me today. I was making way too many errors and it is tough to pick why it was like this, it was a mixture of things. I think she also played quite well today. It was tough for me to find the rhythm because she was playing well in the first set and not very well in the second and then she came back and I didn’t feel good today on the court,” Svitolina said.

The 26-year old is frustrated with herself as she felt that she was playing really well ahead of this match. She shared how she lost her concentration in this game.

“It’s disappointing because I’ve been playing good and I feel it was that kind of a day where nothing was going my way. A little bit physically but I also think in general I couldn’t find my focus and couldn’t push through some points. I was making way too many errors. It was a lack of focus and a kind of distraction,” added the two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist.

While Svitolina’s chances of a maiden Grand Slam are over, Pegula’s dream run can continue as she faces her compatriot Jennifer Brady in the quarterfinals. The World no.24 has progressed to the last eight by defeating Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the fourth round. Therefore it will be a very exciting match between two players who tend to give their all at the court.