Gael Monfils has made an honest admission about the challenge of coping with his separation from Elina Svitolina, with whom he shares their four-year-old daughter, Skai. The Frenchman also shed light on the emotions surrounding his decision to end his professional career earlier than expected.
Svitolina announced the end of her five-year marriage to Monfils in a heartfelt statement, speaking candidly about the negative impact the Russia-Ukraine war had on her mental and emotional state.
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Svitolina later also revealed that the Frenchman’s “career ended abruptly” due to the toll of their difficult circumstances. The 40-year-old had initially planned to hang up his racket in front of his home crowd at the Paris Masters.
During a recent Twitch stream, Monfils revealed that he had been “hit hard” by his split with Svitolina and made a concerning admission about his physical decline, as his diet and ability to train also suffered a blow.
“The breakup with Elina hit me really hard. I’m not doing great mentally, I can’t train the way I’d like to. I’m not going to pretend otherwise, I’m eating less, everything feels worse,” Monfils said.
The former World No. 6 highlighted the difficulty of returning to the tour for his swan song, explaining that the emotional turmoil made it impossible for him to compete.
“It’s already very hard to return to the courts for my retirement, with different emotions. I just didn’t find it possible to play,” he added.
Gael Monfils thanks Elina Svitolina for her support as he denounces “venomous” criticism
Despite his evident pain over his separation from Elina Svitolina, Gael Monfils stood up for the Ukrainian and defended her against the “venomous” criticism she faced over the reasons she shared for ending their marriage.
“Even though she did not owe anyone an explanation, Elina chose to speak vulnerably and truthfully about her reasons for this decision. She did so in the best way she knew how. Many decided that her explanation wasn’t perfect enough, and Elina has now faced a kind of criticism that I have found unkind at best, and venomous at worst,” Gael Monfils posted on Instagram.
The Frenchman also emphasized that they would always remain a family, expressing gratitude to Svitolina for her crucial support and encouragement when he contemplated quitting tennis.
“Elina and I may no longer be a couple, but we are still a family. Though my heart hurts, I am forever grateful to her for her support and love over the years. When I was ready to quit tennis, she gave me the encouragement I needed to continue. And she is the person behind some of my life’s greatest victories: our daughter, Skaï being the greatest of all,” he continued.
Martina Navratilova reacted strongly to Gael Monfils’ message, calling out those targeting the former couple and extending her best wishes to both the Frenchman and Elina Svitolina.
Edited by Urvi Mehra
