The Ukrainian tennis star says the emotional toll of the war in her homeland left her needing to find her way back to herself, and that she could not do so within the marriage. Their daughter, Skai, “will always come first.”
Elina Svitolina announced on Monday, October 19, that her marriage to fellow tennis player Gael Monfils is ending, calling it the most difficult thing she has ever had to share.
The world No. 6 made the announcement in an Instagram post, and Monfils also shared the statement on his own account. Svitolina and Monfils married in July 2021 and have one daughter, Skai, who turned four last week.
Svitolina points to the toll of the war in Ukraine
In her statement, the 32-year-old Ukrainian spoke openly about how the war in her country has affected her well-being. She credited Monfils with standing by her and supporting her through that struggle, including when she stepped away from tennis to recover.
“But some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you,” she wrote. “With time, I came to understand that I need to find my way back to myself and that I cannot do that within our marriage.”
Svitolina made clear that the decision was not about assigning blame to either of them.
Skai remains the priority for Svitolina and Monfils
Svitolina said she and Monfils built a beautiful life together, and she described their daughter as the most precious gift of all.
“Skai will always come first,” she wrote. “Our marriage is ending, but our family is not. We will always be her parents, side by side, at every step of her life.”
News follows Monfils’ early exit from the sport
The announcement comes just weeks after Monfils, 40, quietly brought his playing career to a close. The former world No. 6 had planned to retire at the end of the season and was widely expected to say goodbye in front of his home fans at the Paris Masters, which begins October 31.
Instead, he now appears on the list kept by tennis’s anti-doping authority of players who have declared themselves retired, with his career officially over as of October 5, The Associated Press reported. AP noted that the end of the marriage to Svitolina may have played a part in that earlier finish.
Monfils had spoken warmly about his wife as recently as May, when he used his farewell speech at the French Open to thank her for eight years together and her presence through every moment.
Svitolina and Monfils, one of tennis’s best-known couples
Monfils and Svitolina went public with their relationship in early 2019 and quickly became one of the most followed couples in the sport. They briefly separated in February 2021 before reuniting and marrying that July. Skai was born in October 2022.
Both enjoyed success on the court as a pair. Earlier this year, Svitolina won the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, a title Monfils had captured on the men’s side in 2025.
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