Elina Svitolina has announced her marriage to fellow tennis star Gael Monfils is “ending” in a statement explaining the devastating toll the war in Ukraine has taken on her.
The couple shared the shock news in a joint statement on Instagram written by Svitolina, accompanied with a black and white photo of the couple.
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“This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to share,” she said.
“Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me. 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, 32, said “I need to find my way back to myself and that I cannot do that within our marriage”.
“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,” she continued.
“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.
“Skai will always come first. 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.”
Former French tennis player Alize Cornet commented: “So sorry for you guys … we love you” and Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk also offered her support.
Svitolina and Monfils began their relationship in 2019, announced their engagement in 2021 and were married later that year, welcoming a baby girl together in 2022.
The couple played on court together for the first time in the mixed doubles at the US Open less than two months ago.
Svitolina is a four-time grand slam semi-finalist and also won the 2018 WTA Tour Finals and a silver medal in singles at the Tokyo Olympics.
She suffered a 2-6 6-2 4-6 defeat to Great Britain’s Sonay Kartal in the quarterfinals of the Wuhan Open on Friday./
Monfils, 40, announced that this year would be his final season on the ATP Tour before retiring from professional tennis to take up a career in finance.
“I have a new chapter coming next year,” Monfils said in September.
“I will work in finance. I already signed to work in wealth management in a Swiss company. So my next chapter will be working in an office and working in finance.
“I will always have a look on tennis, because I love the sport. My wife’s playing. “I don’t think this next year I will do so much about tennis. But I’ll be around definitely no matter what for Elina a little bit, but I will be more a finance guy.”