Returning to elite sport after pregnancy is one of the toughest challenges in professional athletics, yet Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina is proof it’s possible. After giving birth to daughter Skaï in 2022, the former world No.3 climbed back into the WTA top 10 by rethinking how she trains, recovers and approaches competition.
Now, the two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist’s priorities have changed: she focuses on quality training over quantity, deep core strength and recovery. Here, Svitolina shares how she made it back into the top 10, how motherhood transformed her mindset, and why access to maternal healthcare remains a cause she’s passionate about.
You returned to the top 10 after having a baby. What does your training look like now, as a 31-year-old mother, compared with your twenties?
‘Everything has changed for the better. In my twenties I trained with relentless intensity because I thought more hours and more repetition was the way to reach the top. Now I train smarter. Pregnancy and becoming a mother gave me a completely different relationship with my body. I understand it better, I listen to it more, and I respect what it needs.’
Which three exercises are non-negotiables in your training programme?
‘The first is deep core stabilisation exercises. After having a baby, rebuilding that foundation is the starting point for everything else. You cannot move explosively on a tennis court without a strong, stable core.
‘The second is split-step and lateral movement drills. Grass demands quick reactions and changes of direction, so I spend a lot of time sharpening that footwork until it becomes automatic.
‘The third is what I call reset breathing. I use breathwork between points and between sets to regulate my nervous system. Learning to control your breathing changes everything about how you perform under pressure.’
Elina Svitolina in the Wimbledon semi final, 2023Simon M Bruty – Getty Images
What does a typical training day during a championship look like?
‘Routine gives me calm. I wake up and spend time with Skaï before having a proper breakfast. Court practice usually lasts around two hours, focusing on grass-specific patterns like serve and volley and low-ball handling.
‘After that, there’s a gym session focused on activation and speed work, nothing too heavy during tournament weeks. The afternoon is for recovery and treatment, and evenings are for family. That balance is what keeps me performing.’
How has becoming a mother changed your relationship with tennis?
‘Motherhood gave me perspective. When I stepped away to have Skaï, I had to ask who I was without tennis. That was uncomfortable but freeing. I came back because I genuinely love this sport, not because I needed it to define me.
‘I also became much more aware of how fortunate I was to have excellent care throughout my pregnancy and recovery. Through my work with the WTA [Women’s Tennis Association] Foundation, I’ve learned that millions of women don’t have access to that, and too many mothers still don’t make it through pregnancy and childbirth safely. It made me want to use my platform more purposefully.’
What wellbeing practices help you avoid stress and burnout?
‘Sleep is the foundation of everything and I protect it more seriously than I ever did before. Reading helps me switch off completely. And being with Skaï is the greatest reset I have. You cannot stay in your own head about a missed forehand when a toddler is making you laugh.’
What misconceptions exist around returning to elite sport after pregnancy?
‘The biggest one is that your body simply goes back to how it was before. That is not how it works. Your body has done something extraordinary and you have to build a new relationship with it rather than chase the old one.
‘The second misconception is that it’s purely physical. The mental and emotional return is equally complex. And the third is that recovery is linear and fast. Mine was neither, and I had to make peace with that.’
Were there moments when you doubted whether you could reach the top 10 again?
‘Yes, many. There were moments on the practice court where my body did not respond the way I expected and I questioned whether I was chasing something that was no longer possible.
‘What kept me going was being honest with myself about my motivations. I wasn’t coming back to prove something to the world. I was coming back because I love competing and because I believe I still have something to give.’
You’ve evolved your game a lot in recent years. What changes have had the biggest impact?
‘My serve has become a much more intentional weapon, especially on grass. But beyond the technical side, the biggest change has been how I manage matches mentally. I used to carry every missed point into the next one. Now I have a much cleaner ability to reset and focus only on the next ball. Having a child teaches you very quickly that you cannot control everything, and that lesson transferred directly to how I compete.’
How does your training change during grass-court season?
‘Grass demands very specific preparation. I shift more of my court time towards serve and return patterns because those first two shots are so decisive. I also reduce the overall volume slightly and sharpen the focus of each session. Quality over quantity is always the principle, but on grass it becomes especially important.’
What would success at Wimbledon look like to you in 2027?
‘Lifting that trophy is still the goal, but success has a wider definition than it used to. It means walking onto Centre Court knowing I prepared completely and gave everything I had.
‘I want to win. I always want to win. But I also want to leave the tournament having stood for something.’