Top 5 Best Quotes of 2023, No. 5: Elina Svitolina plays for a bigger purpose in winning return

No. 5: "I think war made me stronger and also made me mentally stronger. Mentally I don't take difficult situations as like a disaster, you know? There are worse things in life."

The renaissance of Elina Svitolina was the story of the summer. The Ukrainian's return from maternity leave was inspirational on its own, but proved more so in light of Russia's war with her homeland.

Svitolina gave birth to her and Gael Monfils' daughter, Skai, in October of 2022, and made her return to the tour in April at the Credit One Charleston Open. Initially, returns were slow going (she went just 4-6 in her first six tournaments, including 0-3 at tour level) but that all changed when she returned to the clay courts of Strasbourg, France—a tournament where she previously triumphed in 2020—in late May.

Ranked No. 508 and a wildcard, Svitolina won her first title as a mother, beating Anna Blinkova in the final in straight sets, and afterwards, dedicated her entire prize money check back to her country.

"I would like to share this energy with Ukraine, with my homeland," she said. "All my prize money from this tournament is going to go to the kids of Ukraine, [which is] much needed in this tough moment."

Already advocating for Ukrainians at home and abroad even before her return to the courts—from her eponymous charity foundation to her status as an ambassador for United24, the Ukrainian state fundraising platform for humanitarian relief efforts—Svitolina's role as a national icon only bloomed further over the next few months.

Svitolina's return to the Grand Slam stage was fruitful, to say the least. She reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, upsetting 2022 semifinalist Martina Trevisan and No. 9 seed Daria Kasatkina en route, and thrilled fans at the All England Club and beyond with a semifinal run at Wimbledon.

En route, she stunned world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a three-set quarterfinal that was watched by her compatriots around the world, both in Ukraine and abroad.

"I'm happy I can bring little happiness to their life," she said at Wimbledon. "There was many videos also on Internet where the kids are watching on their phones. This really makes my heart melt seeing this. Just happy I could bring little happiness to people of Ukraine.

"I think war made me stronger and also made me, like, mentally stronger. Mentally I don't take difficult situations as like a disaster, you know? There are worse things in life. ... I have different pressures. Of course, I want to win. I have this motivation, like huge motivation, to come back to the top. But I think having a child, and war, made me a different person. I look at the things a bit differently.

"Right now I just say to myself I think it's less years that I have in front than behind me. I have to go for it. I don't have time to lose anymore. I don't know how many years I will be playing more. So just I try to tell myself like go for it."

Unranked in April, Svitolina ended 2023 ranked No. 25 and as a nominee for the WTA's Comeback Player of the Year honor. And while circumstances, surfaces and opponents will always be changing thanks to tennis' globe-trotting nature, one thing is sure to stay constant as she gears up for 2024: her love of country.

"Every moment that I'm not on the court I'm checking how my family is doing, how the situation is in Ukraine, monitoring all the time what is happening and how me and my foundation, the team around me, how we can help in that particular moment for some kids, for my family, for friends, for anyone," she said.

"This in many ways motivates me as well to go out there, to play, to practice, you know. People are having horrible times in Ukraine right now, and for me is no excuses to complain, because I have an amazing, an amazing life, I cannot complain. This in many ways motivates me to go and practice and train and be better every day."