“I Really Was a Big Fan”: Elina Svitolina Rejoices Her First Autograph by Andy Murray

In today’s age, with technology enabling reach like never before, athletes have fans all around the world, and a simple meet and greet will make the fan happy. Something similar had happened with Elina Svitolina when she was younger and she met Sir Andy Murray.

The World No.5 said that Andy Murray was participating in the Davis Cup in her hometown, Odesa, in Ukraine. She jokingly suggested that she doesn’t have the signed autograph anymore, but the fan moment was real.

“It was Andy Murray. He came to play Davis Cup, to my hometown, Odesa, in Ukraine. I think he was 16, and me, I don’t remember, I really was a big fan of his, even now you know. I don’t think I have it still, but it was him,” said Svitolina when asked about her first autograph.

Svitolina is currently playing in the Eastbourne International event in London, preparing for the Wimbledon Championships.

Elina Svitolina enters top 5 world rankings in WTA

Elina Svitolina has claimed the No.5 spot in the WTA Rankings, after displacing Sofia Kenin of the USA. She has had a career-best ranking of No3 before, back in 2017, but slipped through the ranks later.

Svitolina is playing in the Viking Eastbourne International event in London, looking to lift her first title of 2021 after failing to win anything this year. The World No.5 has come into the competition after a humiliating loss in Berlin and will be motivated enough to have a good run in this tournament.

The Ukrainian plays her first-round match against Paulo Badosa of Spain. Paulo, who reached the quarterfinals of the Roland Garros and bowed out against Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia.

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Svitolina’s quest for a Grand Slam title

Elina Svitolina has reached the semifinals of Majors on multiple occasions only to fail to cross that stage and reach the final. She’d reached the semifinal round of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships and the US Open, losing to Simona Halep and Serena Williams, respectively.

She will be aiming for a better finish this year, as the Wimbledon Championships did not take place last year, due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A fan moment she cherishes for her life, she will be aspiring to finish as a winner in the Wimbledon this year, in Andy Murray’s homeland, as a result of Murray playing the Davis Cup in her homeland back then.

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