(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Lesia Tsurenko is one of the great surprises of this 2023 edition of the Roland Garros. The Ukrainian player was able to reach the round of 16 thanks to a convincing and clear victory over Canadian Bianca Andreescu with a score of 6-1, 6-1.
The 34-year-old girl, who had only reached this point in the Grand Slam competition in 2018, was called upon to perform a rather complicated feat against the Polish Iga Swiatek, who continues to amaze everyone and plays spatial tennis.
At the press conference, the athlete born in 1989 talked again about the war and made a curious revelation to the whole world: “When the conflict broke out, I thought of leaving tennis and going to my country as a volunteer to help with all this they needed.
However, Dolgopolov called me and explained that I had to continue playing and that this was the best way to help Ukraine.” Then she continued, adding: “I’ve never played for money and I don’t I will now, so I will donate almost everything I earn from tournaments.
Getting to the round of 16 here is great because I will be able to give more money to help all of Ukraine. When I have a difficult moment in matches, I remember that I’m playing for my country and I manage to give myself the energy.” Tsurenko has already secured a winnings of 240 thousand euros.
No problem on the elbow injury
Lesia underlined in the conference how she suffered heavily in the past from elbow discomfort: “Lately it hurts less. It’s incredible because at the end of last year they told me that the inflammation had reached the bone and that I had to think about retiring.
Tennis is my great passion, so I took some time off and worked on rebalancing my whole body. This season it hurts a lot at night but during the day I’m fine and this allows me to train and compete,” she specified, providing updates on her current physical condition.
