Dejected Svitolina at a loss after defeat

This is getting to be an unhappy habit for Elina Svitolina – capturing the title in Rome in grand style, being pronounced a favourite to lift the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen… and then falling well short.

Twelve months ago she arrived at the French Open fresh from Italian triumph, and in the quarter-final here led Simona Halep by a set and 5-1 in the quarter-final. But it crumbled to dust when the Romanian saved match point and surge back to victory.

Come Roland-Garros 2018, the Ukrainian has been unable even to graduate from the first week. Facing the No.31 seed Mihaela Buzarescu in the third round, Svitolina never had control and succumbed to the left-hander 6-3 7-5.

Afterwards it was noticeable that when rolandgarros.com asked Svitolina was asked whether she herself had believed she could win the tournament here, she did not answer in the affirmative.

“I didn't consider myself as…” she started, then checked herself. “There are good players who are probably in better form than me that played better clay court tournaments. Of course I believed that I can play well in the Grand Slams, but I didn't really think that I'm the favourite, you know, the number one favourite at this tournament. I don't want to think those ways.

“I didn’t know much about her because she has risen so quickly. I couldn't find my rhythm in this match and I couldn't fight. I was struggling and she was playing great tennis, really on the ball. She completely deserved to get that win.”

A week is a long time in tennis. Just seven days ago the 23-year-old No.4 seed was filled with optimistic anticipation as she looked ahead to this year’s tournament.

“It’s going to be different, definitely, from last year. That was almost the first time for me going into a Grand Slam as a favourite. This year it’s different. I hoped I was one of the favourites. Roland-Garros is what we are training for, and I’m going to give it the best shot.”

Unfortunately to date, that “best shot” is a long way shy of the requisite standard. The bottom line is that Svitolina has yet to make a single Grand Slam semi-final in 23 attempts. Had she succeeded here, she might have emerged from this tournament as the world No.1. Instead she faces another bruising period of reflection on the disconnect between her form on Tour and at Grand Slams.

“It's really, really bad for me that I couldn't go through the tough moments with a good attitude in this match,” said Svitolina miserably. “I wish I could play better. I wish I could move better and do the better selection of shots. But it was tough, and I couldn't fight through the tough moments. I wish I could do something different, but it's done now.

“Days like this, they can happen. Next time, hopefully I can handle it better. I had the chances in this match, but I didn't take them. Cannot do anything now. Just have to go back on court and work my way back. Just try to be positive and work for my next chance.”