Jan 20 (V7N) - Elina Svitolina showcased resilience and power to defeat Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 6-1 on Monday, advancing to the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time since 2019. Despite her dominant performance, Svitolina chose not to shake hands with her Russian opponent, a stance shared by Ukrainian players due to the ongoing war in their homeland.

Kudermetova started strong, racing to a 4-1 lead with a double break. However, Svitolina turned the match around, recovering to take the first set 6-4 after Kudermetova required a medical timeout for back and stomach issues. Svitolina’s fighting spirit was on full display as she dominated the rest of the match, winning 12 of the last 13 games.

Reflecting on her journey, the 30-year-old Ukrainian said, “So many things have happened – having my daughter, Sky, and undergoing surgery. I’m really pleased with my performance throughout this tournament.”

Svitolina will face either Elena Rybakina or Madison Keys in the quarter-finals. A victory would put her into her first-ever Australian Open semi-final, adding to her previous Grand Slam semi-final appearances at Wimbledon (2019, 2023) and the US Open (2019).

Her win comes as a testament to her grit and determination, setting up an exciting clash in thenext round.