Elina Svitolina has settled into a new rhythm in 2026, balancing family life with renewed ambition on court. The world No. 9 prepared for her Qatar TotalEnergies Open opener by “switching off completely,” spending the morning with daughter Skaï and then beating countrywoman Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-4.

Hers is a notable comeback since returning from maternity leave in 2023. Once a Top 3 player and frequent Grand Slam hopeful, Svitolina has reshaped expectations while remaining a serious threat at the biggest events. She described the shift in perspective plainly: “I think after giving birth and having different perspectives, I accepted this idea that I am ok to live my life after tennis and not having won a Grand Slam. I’ve still had a very solid career on my shoulders and I did my very best. If it happens at the end of my career, ok, amazing. But if not, it’s also an amazing career. I just have to accept it and after all, it’s not only about tennis at the end of the day.”

The Olympic bronze medalist also carries the weight of national representation. After a difficult Billie Jean King Cup campaign last fall she said, “I almost felt like I let down my country, my team, everybody.” She regrouped during an extended off-season at home with Skaï and returned with momentum, collecting her 19th career WTA title and riding a 10-match winning streak into her first Australian Open semifinal, clinching that spot with a win over Coco Gauff.

Svitolina has become a mentor to younger compatriots, noting of Oleksandra Oliynykova: “Our lockers were actually next to each other, so I saw her quite a bit.” She has also taken a broader view beyond tennis, planning a tennis academy and a padel club to expand sports opportunities in Ukraine. “You’re actually the first to know,” she said with a laugh.

Unburdened by past pressure and working with a sports psychologist, Svitolina senses opportunity. “I feel like I have a chance,” she said. “I feel like everybody who plays a main draw has a chance, whether it’s just a little one or you’re a big favorite. We’ve seen so many surprise finalists and winners, and players who really play well for two weeks who surprise even themselves.

“Of course, I see how, from experiencing all these matches over the years, I feel like a more solid player. I feel like my game really improved and I can really win matches and challenge big players. When I’m fit, when I’m mentally good, I can have a chance. So, I do believe in this, and then whatever comes, comes.”

Former world No. 8 Daria Kasatkina said watching the Winter Olympic Games helped her rediscover the consistency that had been missing through a difficult start to 2026. At the Qatar TotalEnergies Open she won back-to-back matches for the first time since August, following a straight-sets win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse and a 6-4, 6-0 victory over No. 16 seed Elise Mertens.

“Obviously, I’m watching figure skating. That’s pretty obvious,” Kasatkina said in a nod to longtime girlfriend and former Olympian Natalia Zabiiako. The 28-year-old admitted the Down Under swing after adopting the Aussie flag produced just one win in three tournaments, including a first-round exit at the Australian Open.

“I didn’t feel very nervous or extra pressure during the Aussie swing,” Kasatkina insisted on Tuesday. But she also accepted the ups and downs of a prolonged recovery. As she put it, “nothing is forever,” and the progress she showed in Doha feels encouraging.

“For a long time, I didn’t feel like this on the tennis court,” she said after defeating Mertens, 6-4, 6-0. “It’s something I was looking for over the past few months.

“It’s more the feeling of the results I’m getting after the work I’ve done for the past few months,” she added later. “When I say a few months, I mean over the last five-six months. Tennis is a difficult sport because sometimes you can get results straightaway, and other times you can wait much longer for them to come.

“I hope this is the first sign of my job paying off, but I don’t want to be super excited and think I’m finally back. There’s a lot still to work on, but I hope it’s just the beginning.”

Off court, Kasatkina has been following partner Zabiiako’s high-profile same-sex partnership with Gabriella Papadakis. A co-creator of Kasatkina’s What The Vlog YouTube channel, Zabiiako’s emotional performances have drawn wide attention.

“Natasha is enjoying it so much because unfortunately, she cannot get the same feeling on ice with me!” Kasatkina said with a laugh. “She needed someone a little bit better. Honestly, seeing her in her habitat is amazing. She’s really enjoying it and I can see how good she feels on the ice.

“Skating with someone like Gabriella is amazing and the results are very good, as well. I’m really happy for her and hopefully they can continue to do some stuff together because it looks beautiful.”

Kasatkina said she and Zabiiako plan to watch the Olympic-themed hockey drama Heated Rivalry and described her own progress on the ice as gradual. “I am often on the ice!” said the Aussie. “Not on the level I want to, but it’s like in tennis: one day’s better, one day’s worse. It depends on the ice, depends on the skates. But I really like it. It’s something about, when you learn something new, it’s good for your head. The only thing is that it’s a bit dangerous, so I have to be really careful. I might not care about my body as much if I wasn’t a professional athlete, and I would probably go on the ice by myself more often without the support.

“I’m still a little bit scared on the ice, so I’m always searching for something to hold onto so I don’t fall! So, my progress is stuck a little bit. Still, little by little, I’m improving.”

She joked about winter sport options. “Honestly, the Winter Olympic sports are dangerous!” she joked. “They’re either dangerous or boring!” Kasatkina also reflected on temperament on court: “On the tennis court, I think I’m just pretty much stuck in an Eastern Europe mentality,” sighed Kasatkina, who could face top seed Iga Swiatek in the third round. “It’s difficult to change because it’s coming from when I was a kid. This is something probably I have to keep going with, adding some positive Aussie stuff in there. But in life, it’s definitely the best approach ever. I’m trying to get it more and more.

“The tennis court is a bit different because of all the pressure and emotions involved. You need to really know how to manage them.”

Victoria Mboko left the Qatar TotalEnergies Open buoyed by a first-step victory and a clear aim: play as many top-ranked opponents as possible. The 19-year-old Canadian has climbed to No. 13 on the back of title runs in Montréal and Hong Kong and recently met world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open.

Asked about players she wanted to face, Mboko did not避r away from a childhood aspiration even as she acknowledged the current reality. She answered plainly.

Q. It’s your first year on the tour, second year on the tour, on the main tour. Is there any player that you’re particularly keen to play against, ones that you watched growing up that you want to match up against on the tour right now?

VICTORIA MBOKO: Well, one person that I always looked up to was Serena Williams, but she’s retired now. I feel like I kind of already played people who I was wanting to play growing up. I mean, playing world No. 1 has always been a dream of mine, whether you win or lose it.

But, yeah, I think just playing as many top-10 players as I can is pretty cool. That’s always a different experience for me. Yeah, there’s not someone in particular.

Meanwhile, speculation about Serena Williams has remained active since last fall. Williams has re-entered the World Anti-Doping Agency testing pool and was the subject of reports suggesting she might make a major announcement during this past Super Bowl weekend. No official confirmation of a comeback has been made. Reports indicate she could be cleared to return as early as this spring, which would create the possibility, however remote, of Mboko meeting her childhood idol on tour sooner than expected.

For now, Mboko is focused on the progression that has accelerated her ranking and the valuable lessons that come from facing the sport’s best.