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Elina Svitolina wore a black ribbon for her fourth-round match at Wimbledon on Monday in solidarity with the victims of a Russian bombing of a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian tennis player, 29, beat Wang Xinyu and was granted permission by the All England Club to wear the ribbon in an exemption from the tournament’s strict all-white clothing rules.
Svitolina confirmed Wimbledon organisers gave the go-ahead, saying: “I felt like it would be understandable after such a big attack for my country.”
Ukraine was hit by a Russian missile barrage on Monday, with Ukraine’s largest children hospital among the buildings hit. Authorities state that at least 41 people died, including three children.
Parents fled with babies and sick youngsters after a daylight aerial attack on the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital that Ukrainian officials described as “genocide”.
An emotional Svitolina said after her win: “It was a good performance from my side today. It’s a very difficult day today for Ukrainian people.
“It was not easy to focus today on the match. Since the morning it’s very difficult to read the news. Just to go on the court is extremely tough. I’m happy I could play today and get a win.”
“It’s an incredibly sad day today for all Ukrainians. It was really difficult for me to really be here in a way and do anything. I just wanted to be in my room, just be there with my emotions, with everything.
“I have to put my head down and show up and do my best, my very best. Every Ukrainian is using their own way to raise awareness, to raise money, to help in every possible way they can.”
Svitolina, the world No 21, reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year, mere months after giving birth to her first child, before losing to eventual champion Marketa Vondrousova.
The Ukrainian faces 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina – who played under a Russian flag until 2018 – from Kazakhstan in the quarter-finals on Centre Court on Wednesday.
Svitolina refuses to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players due to the ongoing war in her homeland but, despite Rybakina being born and raised in Moscow before switching to represent Kazakhstan six years ago, the 21st seed will have no problems doing so today.
“She changed her nationality, so it means she doesn’t want to represent her original country, so it works,” Svitolina said.
