Warmly applauded by the fortunate spectators who filled the stands at the Transylvania Open for her match against Emma Raducanu, Oleksandra Oliynykova was received with the same sympathy in the press conference room at BT Arena.
After nearly three hours of spectacular battle, Oleksandra said:
“For me, it was important to show that fighting spirit. I believe it sent beautiful emotions to the people in Ukraine. And I hope my friends, my family, and my fellow Ukrainians are proud of me. That is important to me.”
Congratulated for her performance and for the way she fought — especially considering she did not have a coach with her in Cluj — Oliynykova added:
“I always try to stay calm and optimistic, despite the adrenaline of the match. I try to encourage myself. I know I have to stay strong, and I try to look at my situation — being here without a coach — as something that makes me stronger. And at the end of the day, I’m happy, especially because I had the opportunity to play against great opponents. There are many things I still have to learn at this level, so I didn’t feel a lot of pressure.”
