Elina Svitolina - Less prize money, less motivation
Elina Svitolina will select her tournament appearances more carefully this year than in previous seasons due to the reduced prize money.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit:
Mar 09, 2021, 03:16 pm
It is now exactly a year ago that COVID-19 also reached tennis for the first time: On March 9, 2020, tournament director Tommy Haas had to pull the emergency brake shortly before the start of the mixed tournament in Indian Wells and the event, due to what was still new at the time Cancel coronavirus.
It wasn't until the beginning of August - at the WTA tournament in Palermo - that the yellow felt balls flew over the net again. In the meantime, something like normality has returned to the tennis tour, events can take place again - even if for the most part without spectators. Small tournaments in particular are still having a hard time fighting due to the corona pandemic.
Svitolina has to adapt
Because not only empty stadiums, but also a lack of top stars are a problem for the tournament organizers. Elina Svitolina thinks she has found the reason for this: "I think that it is really not easy for some players to adapt. For me personally it is a little difficult now because we have from the past few years - as the prize money is very high was - a bit spoiled. "
In my opinion, that certainly plays a role in terms of motivation.
Elina Svitolina on the drop in prize money
She also had to adapt to her daily life, according to the fifth in the world. "Maybe I need to be a little smarter and I think it's important for everyone to adjust again as there is definitely a significant change in the prize money right now," explained Svitolina.
Svitolina hopes to return to the old conditions
Therefore, the Ukrainian, who has earned US $ 20,129,954 in prize money in her career and is in 18th place in the all-time money ranking, will design her tournament schedule this year a little differently than in previous years: "Of course, it comes to mind when you know that in some tournaments there is less motivation to play because the prize money is significantly lower. " For example, due to the fear of fatigue, you could forego a small event if a big one was to follow immediately.
"In my opinion, that certainly plays a role in terms of motivation. Hopefully we can improve step by step and get back to where we were before," stated Svitolina. The 26-year-old and her colleagues still have to be patient: At the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai, where the fifth in the world rankings failed in the second round, the winner will receive 68 percent ($ 221,500 instead of $ 696,860) less prize money than in the Previous year.