Elina Svitolina is having one of those seasons where everything clicks. In 2025, she’s been tearing it up on clay with an 18-2 win-loss record. That includes her 18th career title in Rouen back in April. She’s turning heads in Paris as well. The 30-year-old’s French Open campaign has been all about resilience. Her early rounds were anything but breezy. She had to claw her way through tight two-set battles, first 7-6(4), 7-5 against Anna Bondar, and then Bernarda Pera, who pushed her into two tiebreaks–7-6(5), 7-6(5). But it was the third round against Jasmine Paolini where things got really intense. But crossing that hurdle meant coming closer to a milestone held by none other than Serena Williams!
Jasmine Paolini, last year’s French Open and Wimbledon finalist, gave Elina Svitolina her biggest test so far. Paolini, now a legit title contender, had Svitolina on the ropes. The Ukrainian had to save three match points before she mounted a gutsy comeback. She lost the first set, stole the second in a tiebreak, and then rolled through the decider for a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 win.
That one meant a lot. “I still cannot believe this match finished my way. I still feel my head is in the match and in a big battle,” Svitolina said after the thriller. “It was a really difficult match, Jasmine was playing really well. It was tough for me but I’m happy I stayed composed, fought until the very last point and here I am in the next round.”
With that win, the 30-year-old advanced to her 13th Grand Slam quarterfinal. It’s her fifth time reaching the last eight at Roland Garros, following runs in 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2023. She’s also made it to three Wimbledon quarterfinals, a semifinalist in 2019 and 2023, and a quarterfinalist in 2024. Her US Open resume includes quarterfinals in 2019 (semifinalist) and 2021. And let’s not forget the Australian Open, where she’s gone that far three times (2018, 2019, and now 2025). What stands out is this: the last five Slam quarterfinals she’s made have all come after her return from maternity leave.
With 13 Grand Slam quarterfinals now under her belt, she’s inching closer to Serena Williams, who’s reached 16 Slam quarters since 2015.
13 – Since 2015, when she made her first at Roland Garros, only Serena Williams (16) has reached more Women’s Singles Grand Slam quarter-finals than Elina Svitolina (13). Hunting ground.#RolandGarros | @rolandgarros @WTA pic.twitter.com/OuhLqGcOvN
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) June 1, 2025
Speaking of Serena, she and Svitolina have some history. Williams holds a dominant 5–1 head-to-head record. Svitolina’s lone win came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she stunned Serena in straight sets. But at the majors, Serena had the upper hand—especially in their last meeting, the 2019 US Open semifinals, where she cruised past Svitolina 6-3, 6-1.
Elina Svitolina still holds Serena in high regard. After their last meeting, she said, “I think she knows what she has to do. She has unbelievable strength. She gives lots of power. There’s lots of power behind her shots all the time. That’s what makes her an unbelievable, legendary tennis player. On the important moments, she step up, always step up, always brings her best game.”
Now, for a spot in the final four in Paris, Svitolina will face No. 5 seed Iga Swiatek. The Pole had her own drama, rallying from a set and a break down to beat No. 12 Elena Rybakina 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. Their head-to-head tilts slightly in Swiatek’s favor at 3-1. Their only clay-court match? Swiatek won it in Rome 2021, 6-2, 7-5. But in their only Grand Slam showdown, Svitolina came out on top in three sets at Wimbledon 2023.
But the upcoming clash isn’t just about survival.
Elina Svitolina wants to “push” for more as she plans top-10 re-entry
Let’s rewind a bit. Elina Svitolina hit a career-high No. 3 before stepping away from the sport. After earning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, she took a break from tennis and later welcomed her daughter Skaï in October 2022 with husband Gaël Monfils. At the time, no one knew when or if she’d return.
But return she did. Her comeback started with Roland Garros 2023. While she’s still a classic counterpuncher, she’s no longer playing it safe. Gone is the passive approach that haunted her in tight matches, like the one against Simona Halep in 2017, where she lost from 6-4, 5-1 up. Instead, she’s now embracing bold, aggressive tennis.
“I’m trying to really push for these next few years,” she told Tennis Channel at the Italian Open. “I don’t know how many years are still in front of me, but I want to make the push right now.”
The World No.14 continued, “I feel like I’m fit, I’m playing well, I’m mentally very locked in for the tournaments. I just want to find this edge and try to challenge these big players, to become one of them again. In order to do that you need to be perfect, or at least find your own way that works for you. I have all the experience from previous years but right now, the tennis is more powerful, so it’s all about the small details that make the difference.”
The 13th-seeded Elina Svitolina could make her return to the WTA Top 10 for the first time since 2021 if she reaches the semifinals. She’s battled her way into the spotlight once again. But can she pull off her biggest upset yet against the queen of clay? What do you think?
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