Svitolina quits in pain to end AO dreams

Elina Svitolina’s Australian Open ended in despair on Monday as the Ukrainian had to quit her fourth-round match with shooting pain which she likened to being shot.

The Swiss-based wife of Gael Monfils lasted only three games as opponent Linda Noskova reached a career-first Grand Slam quarter-final.

“I felt shooting pain in the last two points of the first game,” she said.

“I could not do anything, it completely blocked my back

“I felt like someone had shot me in the back.”

The 29-year-old was aiming for a third quarter-final here, but it was not to be.

.As she heads back to Europe with husband and daughter Skai, the No. 23 remains optimistic.

“Hopefully this is short-term and I hope to be back training in maybe a week.

“Of course the long flight home won’t help; I have to take it one day at a time.

“I’ll do the scan at home and then the recovery and go from there.”

Svitlona said that her current condition is marginal.

“My lower back is blocked, I’m in pain walking, turning and I can’t move side to side.”

She added: “I had good matches here, I was in good form. That’s why it’s even more disappointing.

“It’s tough now to find positives really, but I feel I had good wins, and I enjoyed my time on the court – not today, unfortunately, but the matches before I did really.”