Ukraine's top-ranked tennis player Elina Svitolina announced in an open statement on social media that she is ending her marriage with French tennis player Gael Monfils. In an emotional text published on her official pages, the athlete spoke about the reasons for the split, linking them to a prolonged internal crisis exacerbated by the consequences of the war against Ukraine. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the tennis player's social media.

The unseen price of war

Svitolina admitted that throughout the years of marriage, she almost never spoke publicly about how the military conflict in Ukraine affected her psychological state. "Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me. But I rarely talked about what the war did to me inside. You didn't see the sleepless nights, the doubts, and the feeling that I was gradually losing myself," she wrote. According to her, external stability—tournaments, interviews, family photos—concealed a process she describes as "gradually losing oneself." The tennis player emphasized that the decision to divorce was the result not of a single day, but of a long internal search.

"No other person's love can win them for you"

Describing Monfils' role during this period, Svitolina noted that he "never let go of her hand" and together they "fought hard against difficulties, giving all their strength." However, she said that over time she realized some problems cannot be solved as a couple. "Some battles happen deep inside you, and no other person's love can win them for you," she formulated as the core thesis of her decision. The Ukrainian added that she realized she could only find herself independently, outside the framework of marriage. At the same time, she stressed that Monfils treated her position with respect and without pressure.

A family that does not end

Svitolina placed special emphasis on the fate of their daughter, Skai, born in October 2022. "Skai will always come first. Our marriage is ending, but our family is not. We will always remain her parents and will be there at every stage of her life," she wrote. The tennis player also expressed gratitude to her former spouse for "moments of greatest joy and the darkest periods," noting that "together they built a beautiful life." She asked the public not to look for culprits in the breakup, explaining that it is about two people who "loved each other deeply, but their common story is changing." Concluding her statement, Svitolina urged people to respect personal space and give her time to recover.

The final joint season on the court

The couple's split coincided with the end of Gael Monfils' professional career: in 2026, the Frenchman announced that the current season would be his last on the tour. For Svitolina, conversely, 2026 has been one of her most successful years in recent times, returning her to the top 6 of the WTA world rankings. This season, the couple competed together in mixed doubles at the US Open for the first time, reaching the tournament's semifinal. Previously, for several years, the tennis players supported each other at competitions and participated together in special tournaments and exhibition matches, making them one of the most recognizable sports duets in world tennis.

Relationship timeline

Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils married in July 2021 in Geneva. In October 2022, the couple had a daughter, Skai. At the time of the divorce announcement, Svitolina is 30 years old and Monfils is 36. Both athletes maintained active professional careers throughout their shared life: the Ukrainian competes on the WTA women's tour, while the Frenchman played on the ATP men's tour until the end of 2026. Their divorce is not accompanied by a public conflict: Svitolina's statement contains no accusations, and Monfils' position, according to her, is limited to respecting the decision made.