Elina Svitolina showcased her competitive edge on Thursday, securing a spot in the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. The top-seeded player defeated wild-card entry Katie Boulter with a score of 7-5, 6-4, demonstrating resilience in challenging windy conditions on center court.
Match Highlights
Both athletes faced difficulties with their serves, leading to a total of nine service breaks throughout the match. Svitolina, currently ranked No. 13 in the world, sealed the victory on her third match point. “Katie is a great fighter so I was expecting a tough match,” Svitolina remarked. “She can strike the ball very well, as she did today, and it was not an easy match for us with the wind swirling around.”
The encounter began with Svitolina dropping her serve in the third game, only to break back immediately. However, she faced another setback when she was broken again in the ninth game. The Ukrainian star managed to clinch the first set by winning crucial points that enabled her to break Boulter once more.
In the second set, Svitolina broke Boulter in the fourth game but lost her serve right after. Both players fought hard to maintain their serves in the sixth and seventh games, but a series of three consecutive breaks ultimately concluded with Svitolina’s victory, marking her second singles win of the 2026 season.
A Renewed Fighting Spirit
Svitolina expressed her satisfaction with her performance, stating, “It definitely was very important to me to fight for every point and try to find my way through. I was just pleased with the way I could handle the tough games.” After taking a break from the tour in September 2025 for mental health reasons, she returned to the court with renewed determination. In her opening match in Auckland, she achieved a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory against Varvara Gracheva.
Reflecting on her recent time off, Svitolina noted, “My fighting spirit, I would say it’s back. And I would say it’s nice to be refreshed and hungry again, to work hard, to face these tough moments. The period of time at the end of the season that I took off, it really helped me to find again this spirit and fighting experience that I’ve been having for many years.”
The Auckland tournament serves as an essential preparation for the upcoming Australian Open, which is set to commence in Melbourne on January 18, 2026. As Svitolina continues to build momentum, her performance in this competition will be closely monitored by fans and analysts alike.
