Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils Announce Divorce After Five Years
Tennis stars Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils are divorcing after over five years of marriage, citing personal and mental health struggles linked to the war in Ukraine.
A Tennis Romance Comes to an End
One of the most recognizable power couples in the tennis world has announced their separation. Elina Svitolina revealed on Monday that she and Gael Monfils are divorcing after more than five years of marriage. In a deeply personal and lengthy post, she shared that her mental health struggles in recent years, largely driven by the ongoing war in Ukraine, were at the center of the decision.
"This is the hardest thing I've ever had to share," Svitolina wrote. "Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me. What I almost never spoke about is what the war did to me on the inside. Last year I told you I needed to step away from the court because I wasn't in the right place emotionally." The 32-year-old tennis star continued, describing sleepless nights and the feeling of slowly losing herself while Monfils supported her through it all.
Co-Parenting and Mutual Respect
The couple married in July 2021 and welcomed their daughter, Skai, in October 2022. Svitolina made it clear that despite the divorce, both intend to continue raising their daughter together. "Our marriage is ending, but our family is not. We will always be her parents, side by side, at every stage of her life," she emphasized, asking for privacy and kindness as they navigate this difficult transition.
