"The wedding with Monfils helped me a little to clear my mind and face things much better"- Elina Svitolina 

In a recent interview with the Ukranian medi outlet btu.org, World No. 15 Elina Svitolina admitted that 2021 proved to be a "very difficult year" for her. However, she highlighted that her marriage to Gael Monfils helped her get through tough situations.

Despite winning an Olympic medal for her country last year, the 2021 season didn't turn out to be a great one for Svitolina. The Ukrainian won just one singles title and dropped out of the top 10 of the WTA rankings.

Elina Svitolina at the Indian Wells Masters 2021

In the interview, Svitolina claimed that it had been a "very eventful year" for her and that she "could have competed a little better" on court. However, she said her marriage to Gael Monfils in July 2021 proved to be really beneficial in her professional life.

"It has been a very eventful year. In some respects, I wish I could have done better (laughs). I mean, I think I could have competed a little better. It has been a very difficult year in terms of tennis. The wedding with Monfils helped me a little to clear my mind and face things much better," said Svitolina in the interview.

Svitolina also talked about her most special win of the year, which came at Tokyo Olympics 2020 where she bagged a bronze medal for her nation. She called it "one of the best successes" of her career to date.

"I went to the Olympic Games totally disconnected and I completely forgot about the bad results that I had been doing for months. Having achieved a medal representing my country is very special and without a doubt it is one of the best successes I've ever had in my career," added the Ukrainian player.

"Playing more offensive is what we are looking for" - Elina Svitolina on her approach to 2022

Discussing her objectives ahead of the 2022 season, Svitolina emphasized that she wants to play "more offensive" tennis. She mentioned that her team has managed to improve her movement on the court and hopes that injuries won't create an obstacle for her.

Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals 2018

"Playing more offensive is what we are looking for. It is important to build the points well, that there is variation and that there is balance. We have improved my movement on the court a lot and I hope that the injuries respect us in 2022. That is the most important thing for my confidence," concluded Svitolina.

Elina Svitolina will kick off her 2022 season against Anastasia Gasanova at the Adelaide International on Tuesday.