Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 29, 2026 Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in action during her semi final match against Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
MELBOURNE, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Elina Svitolina said she would not permit herself to be sad following her Australian Open semi-final loss to Aryna Sabalenka, adding that she was lucky to be playing tennis while people are suffering in her Ukraine homeland.
Svitolina bowed out of her first semi-final at Melbourne Park with a 6-2 6-3 defeat to top-seeded Belarusian Sabalenka in a match overshadowed by geopolitical tensions.
Russian and Belarusian players have been banned from representing their nations at Grand Slams and tour events since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, for which Belarus has been a staging ground.
Without naming Sabalenka in her press conference, Svitolina said she was "gutted" to lose against the world number one and be denied a maiden Grand Slam final at the age of 31.
"But I feel like I should not be allowed to really be sad. I have a great position," she told reporters.
"I have this amazing opportunity to play on center court here, represent my country, to do it in a decent way, and to have the opportunity to use my words and just be there for my people.
"Without any doubt ... when I wake up in the morning, I see of course terrifying news, but then I see people watching my matches. They write comments and they are really -- I think it's like a big exchange of positive emotions.
"So I cannot complain, you know, that people really living a horrible and terrifying life in Ukraine, so I should not be allowed to really be sad because I'm a very, very lucky person."
Unable to handle Sabalenka's raw power, Svitolina was broken four times in the match while only able to convert one out of four break points against the 27-year-old Belarusian.
The Ukrainian otherwise felt she gave a good account of herself against Sabalenka and at the Grand Slam overall.
Svitolina said she had felt support from a lot of people watching her matches in Ukraine and was glad to give them some joy.
"I tried to do what's in my power," she added.
"It's important because I also know when I go back to Ukraine, I see people are really stuck in the routine.
"It's dark days, grey days with so much negativity.
"So I think sports, in general, for Ukraine really unites us as a people and unites us with these great emotions."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Ken Ferris)
