Svitolina says Ukraine war’s emotional toll contributed to separation from Monfils

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina says the emotional toll of Russia’s war on her country contributed to the end of her marriage to French former player Gaël Monfils. She said she needs to find her way back to herself, and that she did not feel able to do so within the marriage. [1]

In an Instagram post, Svitolina described sleepless nights, doubts and a sense of “slowly losing myself”. She said Monfils had listened to her and respected what she needed, adding that “our marriage is ending, but our family is not”.

The couple married in 2021 and have a four-year-old daughter, Skai. Svitolina, who grew up in Odesa, said their daughter would always come first.

Svitolina, 32, is ranked sixth in the world and has reached four Grand Slam semi-finals. Monfils, 40, was also a former world number six and won 13 ATP Tour titles.

Monfils had been expected to play the Paris Masters next month as the final tournament of his career. His retirement was effectively confirmed last week when he appeared on the International Tennis Integrity Authority’s list of retired players; players who leave anti-doping protocols are not eligible to compete in professional tournaments. He is preparing to begin a career in finance after joining a Swiss wealth management firm.