"Honeymoon is planned for November, now it's time to focus on tennis" - Elina Svitolina ahead of Olympic campaign
Elina Svitolina arrived at the Olympic village in Tokyo on Sunday, a mere two days after getting married to fellow tennis player Gael Monfils.
While it has been a busy few days for the happy couple, Svitolina still managed to make time to speak to the media about a host of topics, including her wedding and her Olympic aspirations.
The Ukrainian was delighted that even a pandemic could not put a damper on one of the most exciting moments in her life.
"It’s unbelievable to be fair. So many exciting events in my life. It was unbelievable to have a wedding and right now, with the Covid restrictions, it was unbelievable to have two families join together," Svitolina said in an interview with ITF. "We had an amazing time. Now it’s so nice to be at the Olympics."
The fourth seed at this year's Olympics and a strong contender for a medal, the Ukrainian said her focus was on doing well at the event, and that her honeymoon could wait until later.
"We are used to having so many competitions in a year so there is no time for resting," Svitolina added. “Now it’s time to focus on tennis, and the Olympics of course. It’s very special for any athlete to be here. The honeymoon is planned for November!"
“I didn’t expect it to be that humid and hot here" - Elina Svitolina on the conditions in Tokyo
Elina Svitolina also revealed that the humid conditions in the Japanese capital had taken her by surprise.
"It is extremely hot [...] I didn’t expect it to be that humid and hot here. I tried to practice in the afternoon today just to get used to the conditions for the first few days," Svitolina said.
"We just arrived yesterday so I’m still a little bit jet-lagged, but I know I have a couple of days to get ready and to be at my best," she continued.
Elaborating on her experience of staying in the Olympic village, Svitolina said it was "very special" to share the same space as the top athletes in the world.
"[The Village] is very special. To have different sports, and see other athletes prepare for their events... Everyone’s extremely focussed, everyone’s an extremely hard worker," she said.