While the spotlight in women’s tennis today focuses on stars like Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina remains one of the most consistent players of the last decade. The Ukrainian reached a career-high ranking of World No. 3 on the WTA Tour and boasts an impressive 18 titles to her name.
In an appearance on TNT Sports, Svitolina took part in a rapid-fire Q&A session, answering a variety of tennis-related questions. Among them, she was asked to name the greatest male player in history—a topic that always sparks debate.
Svitolina first reflected on her own experiences, including naming Serena Williams as the toughest opponent she ever faced. “Serena Williams is a great champion, and I had the opportunity to beat her once—it was incredible,” Svitolina shared.
She also highlighted her most memorable match, pointing to her bronze-medal victory at the Tokyo Olympics. “It was for the bronze medal in Tokyo. I lost the first set but came back to win. It was the first tennis medal for Ukraine, and it was very special to me,” she said.
Elina Svitolina of Team Ukraine smiles with her bronze medal on the podium during the medal ceremony in Tokyo 2020 Olympics. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
When it came time to answer the timeless question of who she considers the greatest male player of all time, Svitolina admitted it was tough but ultimately chose Novak Djokovic. “It’s a difficult question, but I’ll say Novak Djokovic,” she stated decisively.
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Svitolina’s stellar career
Elina Svitolina turned professional in 2010 and quickly established herself as a mainstay in the top rankings, demonstrating remarkable consistency over the years. Her trophy cabinet includes 18 singles titles, with the most prestigious being the WTA Finals in 2018, where she defeated Sloane Stephens in a thrilling three-set match.
Svitolina also treasures her bronze medal from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where she edged out Elena Rybakina in the third-place match—a historic achievement as the first Olympic tennis medal for Ukraine.
Breaking down her 18 career titles, Svitolina has won 11 WTA 250 events, two WTA 500 tournaments, and four WTA 1000 titles (Dubai and Rome in 2017, Toronto in 2017, and Rome in 2018). Her crowning achievement remains her WTA Finals victory in 2018.
Svitolina achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 3 in 2017. In Grand Slams, she reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open three times, advanced to the same stage five times at Roland Garros, and made semifinal runs twice at Wimbledon and once at the US Open.
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