Gaël Monfils faces false doping claims after retirement

Gaël Monfils’ decision to end his tennis career early has been surrounded by allegations that Elina Svitolina says he did not deserve. The clarification came as the couple announced the end of their marriage, with Svitolina seeking to separate private circumstances from speculation about the French player’s career.

Monfils stopped playing in early October, several weeks before the date he had originally set. His retirement appeared unexpectedly when his name was added to the retired-player list on the body responsible for anti-doping controls in tennis. That development prompted questions over whether an injury had forced him out or whether he had tested positive for a banned substance.

Svitolina said the war in Ukraine had changed her outlook and deeply affected her, but stressed that it was only one part of a more complicated personal decision. She said she could no longer continue with a life in which she was not genuinely happy, while maintaining that she still loved and respected Monfils.

She also said Monfils had made his retirement decision because of their situation and that the pair had issued a joint statement to address the accusations. Svitolina asked for understanding as both faced an exceptionally difficult period, while noting that some aspects of the separation would remain private.