Tennis star Elina Svilotina shares her reason for divorcing Gael Monfils and makes one clear request.
Elina Svitolina has shared that her marriage to fellow tennis player Gael Monfils has come to an end, and she made one important request as they move forward separately.
The 32-year-old Ukrainian started dating French player Monfils in 2019, got engaged in April 2021, and married a few months later in July 2021. They welcomed their daughter, Skai, in 2022.
Now, Svitolina has confirmed their marriage has ended, but she promised they will continue to co-parent Skai with love and respect. In a heartfelt Instagram post, she wrote: “Together, we built a beautiful life and were given the most precious gift, our daughter Skai. Skai will always come first. Our marriage is ending, but our family is not. We will always be her parents, side by side, every step of her life.”
Monfils recently retired from professional tennis. His best Grand Slam results include reaching the semifinals of the US Open in 2016 and the French Open in 2008. He also made it to the Australian Open quarterfinals twice and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Svitolina has been a strong player too, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, and the quarterfinals of the French Open six times. This year, she exited the French Open after losing to fellow Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, and reached the Australian Open semifinals before being defeated by Aryna Sabalenka.
In 2022, Svitolina took a break from tennis due to health issues and the emotional impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In her post about the divorce, she opened up about why it happened and thanked Monfils for his support. She explained that while they fought hard together, some struggles happen inside a person, and sometimes love alone isn’t enough. She wrote: “Gael saw all of it and never let go of my hand. But I realized I need to find my way back to myself, and I can’t do that within our marriage. It’s the hardest truth I’ve faced and the hardest thing to tell someone I love. Gael listened and respected what I need with strength and grace I’ll never forget.”
She added, “Gael loved me through my best and darkest times, and I loved him with all my heart.”
Svitolina ended by asking for kindness and privacy as they heal, saying there’s no one to blame. “There are just two people who loved each other deeply and whose story is changing shape. Please give us the space we need to heal.”