The key facts
- Elina Svitolina (32), world No. 6, announced her separation from Gaël Monfils (40).
- She cited the emotional aftermath of the war in Ukraine as the reason.
- The couple married in 2021 and are raising a four-year-old daughter, Skai; Svitolina emphasized that 'the family does not end.'
Announcement of the separation
Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina announced the end of her marriage to French tennis player Gaël Monfils. The 32-year-old athlete, ranked sixth in the world, shared the news in an emotional Instagram post, citing the impact of the war in Ukraine and what the conflict 'has done to me inside.'
Svitolina's words
'This is the hardest thing I have ever had to share,' Svitolina wrote, adding that she needed to 'find her way back to herself' and that she could not do it within the marriage. According to her, Monfils 'listened' to her and 'respected what I needed with a strength and dignity I will never forget.' She also wrote: 'Some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from another person can win them for you.' Svitolina noted that everyone knows how much Ukraine means to her, but 'what you have not seen is the sleepless nights, the doubts, and the feeling of gradually losing yourself.'
Family
The couple married in 2021 and have a four-year-old daughter, Skai. Svitolina wrote that their daughter 'will always come first,' adding: 'Our marriage ends, but our family does not.' Monfils is 40 years old and a former tennis player. This year at the US Open, the couple played mixed doubles together and reached the semifinals.
Image source, Reuters
Monfils and Svitolina played in the mixed doubles together at this year's US Open and reached the semi-finals
