One fan in Centre Court held the Ukrainian flag. Another yelled, "We love you, Elina.” The Ukrainian ambassador was there, too, cheering along with fans from Britain, the United States, Uganda, Bulgaria and elsewhere for Elina Svitolina, the uncrowned sentimental champion of Wimbledon 2023.
But, in the end, the pressure of carrying the hopes of both her own nation and Wimbledon Nation wore her down. Despite the attempts of the crowd to bolster her spirit, Svitolina was unable to overcome Marketa Vondrousova, the 42nd-ranked player in the world, who beat her in straight sets Thursday, leaving a palpable void in the tournament.
"It’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of tension,” Svitolina conceded after the match. "I try to balance it as much as I can. But, yeah, sometimes it gets maybe too much.”