Elina Svitolina’s stunning 2026 campaign continued in Dubai, although she was defeated in the final against Jessica Pegula.
It marked her second final of the year, and the third time she has reached the semifinals this season. It really feels like the 31-year-old is due a big title in the coming months.
However, after a gruelling week, she simply ran out of steam at the final hurdle in Dubai.
Speaking after the clash in her post-match press conference, Elina Svitolina was asked whether she had surprised herself with this stunning start to the year.
Her answer was hugely insightful.
Elina Svitolina rates her 2026 season so far
Svitolina first spoke about the positives she will take from the tournament, despite suffering that loss in the final.
“I take lots of good matches,” she began. “I think I played a really, really decent level. I mean, my draw was very tough. When I saw the draw, when it came out, I was like, Wow, it’s going to be difficult to go far in the tournament.
How do you rate Jessica Pegula’s chances of ever winning a Grand Slam?
“I went through them. I’m very happy with the way that I’ve been handling myself. Yesterday’s match [the semifinal] as well, I think I pushed myself. Yeah, just happy to be back after Australia, playing in a different continent and still playing well. Yeah, lots of positives.
“There’s nothing negative I would say from this tournament because I put even today my 100% as much as I could. I tried to fight. I tried to come back into the match in the second. She played just too good.”
Then speaking about her year as a whole, and whether she had surprised herself with such stunning form, Svitolina admitted: “Well, definitely I didn’t expect at the beginning of the year that I would play that good. I actually went to Auckland to get some matches, just to try to find my rhythm. Yeah, just everything came together. I worked hard.
“Also I think that break in September helped me, that month or two helped me to pick up myself mentally. Yeah, I feel like I’m in a good place. I try to look little bit into my game and my mentality from a different side.
“Yeah, so far it’s been working well. I feel like I’m improving. I’m ready to face difficult situations. That’s the most important, I feel like.”
Svitolina sent a message to Pegula after their final in Dubai, congratulating her on a fine week.
Has Elina Svitolina been the best player on the WTA Tour this year?
Based on wins this season, there’s a very viable case to be made for Svitolina being the best-performing player on the WTA Tour.
After all, she has 15 wins already in 2026, and just four losses. That is more victories than Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina (12), the runner-up in Melbourne, Aryna Sabalenka (11), and high-flying teen sensation Victoria Mboko (12).
Who has impressed you the most?
Sadly, the Ukrainian does not have a title to show for this consistency, which would be the only argument against her being the best player so far this year.
With two more hard-court WTA 1000 events coming up in Miami and Indian Wells, Svitolina should head to the Sunshine Double brimming with confidence that an elite trophy is just around the corner.
