The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war played a part in the split of tennis stars Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, who announced the end of their marriage through an emotional statement on Monday.
Svitolina revealed that the war had taken a heavy emotional toll on her, and even Monfils’ relentless support wasn’t enough to see her through her struggles.
“Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me,” she wrote.
“What I have rarely spoken about is what the war has done to me inside. Last year, I told you I needed to step away from the court because I wasn’t in the right emotional space. Today, I want to open up a little more. What you didn’t see were the sleepless nights, the doubts, and the feeling of slowly losing myself.
“Gaël saw all of it. He never let go of my hand. We fought through this together for a long time, with everything we had. But some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you.”
Svitolina was referring to her decision to step away from tennis in 2025, citing the need to “heal and recharge.”
Elina Svitolina, Gael Monfils Divorce
The four-time Grand Slam finalist thanked Gael Monfils for providing “strength and grace” while she dealt with the emotional grief of the war.
“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,” she lamented.
“It is the hardest truth I have ever had to face and the hardest thing I have ever had to tell the person I love. Gaël listened. He has respected what I need with a strength and grace I will never forget.
“Gaël has loved me through my greatest joys and my darkest moments, and I have loved him with all my heart. Together, we built a beautiful life, and we were given the most precious gift of all, our daughter, Skai,” she added.
Elina Svitolina, Gael Monfils Daughter
“Skai will always come first,” Svitolina said of her daughter.
“Our marriage is ending, but our family is not. We will always be her parents, side by side, at every step of her life.
“Please know that there is no one to blame here. There are only two people who loved each other deeply and a story that is changing shape.
“We ask for your kindness and for the space we need to heal.
“Thank you for your love 🤍”
The statement comes as a shock to the tennis community. Back in May, Monfils gushed over his marriage with Svitolina and the bond they share.
“We’ve been together for eight beautiful years,” Monfils said during an emotional on-court interview at the French Open.
“I’m not talking about Elina Svitolina the player, I’m talking about the woman, the real woman, my wife. She’s always known how to support me as a man.”
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