Svitolina receives Harry Styles offer after missing ‘Love on Tour’ concert to beat Azarenka in dramatic Wimbledon clash

Elina Svitolina did not anticipate a run to the quarterfinals at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. More than expression of sheer disbelief at what she had achieved at the end of a dramatic match against former world no.1 Victoria Azarenka on Court 1 on Sunday night, it was her pre-tournament act that validated it. The Ukrainian was ready to fly off to Vienna to watch Harry Styles’ ‘Love on Tour’ concert but eventually had to let go of the tickets to play against Azarenka in the round of 16 match. But the former One Direction star responded to Svitolina’s post-match revelation in stunning fashion. (Wimbledon 2023 Day 8 Live Updates)

Svitolina, who had recently returned to the tour after a maternity break, managed to beat the Belarusian for the first time in her career in six meetings. And the victory saw Svitolina bounce back twice in the match, first from a set down and then from 4-78 down in the third-set tie-breaker to reach the quarters in a second successive Grand Slam, after the Roland Garros last month, and for the second time at Wimbledon.

But the dramatic three-setter win came at a cost. Scheduled to catch Harry Style in Austria, Svitolina had to give up the tickets, a revelation which she made in her post-match on-court conversation.

After the match, Svitolina received a special invitation from Styles for the remaining of his live shows. Taking to Instagram, the singer wrote: “Congratulations! We have four shows to go, you’re welcome at any of them. Good luck with the rest of the tournament.” The Ukrainian star later shared it on her Instagram handle as a story.

It was an emotional win as well for Svitolina having secured one of the biggest wins in her career which has now set up a blockbuster quarterfinal clash against world no.1 Iga Swiatek. “I think after giving birth to our daughter, this is the second happiest moment of my life. It was an extremely tough match,” she said.

“When I was two down in the second set I heard you guys cheering for me and I almost wanted to cry. I was really, really struggling and I wanted to really win today. I was just trying to fight and find a way to win the match. You guys gave me so much strength today.

“I was thinking back home there’s lots of people watching and cheering for me. I know how much it means to them and any moments that they can share happiness. I was just thinking there are tough times in Ukraine, I’m playing here in front of you guys, I cannot complain, I just have to play and fight and try to win every single point and in the end, here I am, I won the match.”