Gael Monfils opens up with a sad admission after breaking up with Elina Svitolina.
Gael Monfils opened up about how his breakup with Elina Svitolina has been tough on him, sharing his feelings with fans during a Twitch live stream on Monday evening. The French tennis star, who recently retired and went through a divorce, promised fans, “I’ll tell you everything.”
During the stream, Monfils talked about his plans for a more personal goodbye in tennis and made a heartfelt admission about how the split has affected him. He said, “I eat less,” showing how much the separation has taken a toll on him.
At his peak, Monfils reached a career-high ranking of world No. 6, though he never quite reached Grand Slam wins against legends like Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic. Still, he’ll be remembered as one of the few players who challenged the ‘Big 3,’ which makes his recent honest sharing even more touching.
The 40-year-old said, “Going through a breakup isn’t easy. When it happens, I can’t train like I want. Mentally, I’m not feeling great. The separation with Elina really hurt me.” He added, “We’re human and have our own struggles, and sometimes things don’t go the way we want. This breakup affected me deeply.”
Monfils admitted, “I’m not going to pretend I’m okay. I eat less and just don’t do things as well.” He talked with his family and close friends, which made him ask himself, “Am I going to be strong enough to keep training and preparing?” He said it’s already tough to return to the court at the end of your career with so many unknown feelings. When you’re feeling hurt and need to move forward, it’s hard to play.
His retirement came as a surprise when fans saw his name listed as retired by the International Tennis Integrity Agency starting October 5. Fans had expected Monfils to say goodbye at his two home tournaments in Lyon and Paris.
Lyon tournament organizers confirmed he wouldn’t be playing for personal reasons. It turned out that his separation from Svitolina was the cause, but Monfils has given fans hope with plans for a farewell at the Paris Masters next week.
“Of course, I wasn’t going to just leave like that,” Monfils said. “I want to thank the French tennis family that supported me all along. At the Paris Masters on November 3, after the first night match, there will be a big tribute to my career, and I’ll be able to say goodbye in person.”
The tournament organizers shared the news, saying, “One last time, Paris will celebrate Gael. On November 3, the Rolex Paris Masters will honor Gael Monfils and his amazing career on the very court where he wrote some of the most memorable moments.”
Earlier this month, a journalist recalled an emotional story from the 2021 Australian Open that showed a lot about Monfils’ character. Although he’s going through a hard time now, his legacy in tennis is secure, and fans will get a chance to celebrate him in Paris soon.