Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina on a 'mission' to help war-torn country

By Ben Church, CNN Video by Amy Li, CNN

Updated 0951 GMT (1751 HKT) June 27, 2022

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(CNN)Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina says she has a «mission» to help her country and wants to use her platform to provide hope to the war-torn nation.

The 27-year-old, who is in regular contact with her family and friends back in Ukraine, has taken a break from tennis to focus her efforts on raising funds and awareness of her country's plight. «It's extremely tough because they [her family] tell their stories,» Svitolina told CNN Sport.«I speak with my grandmother every day to know how she feels. It's quite tough for her because for elderly people it's most important to have a routine and, right now, there is