Gaël Monfils withdraws as Svitolina ends their marriage

Gaël Monfils will not play the upcoming tournaments in Lyon, Vienna and Paris after Elina Svitolina announced that their marriage is ending. Her statement explains the personal circumstances behind the French player’s early decision to step away from competition.

Svitolina said the effects of the war in Ukraine had caused deep emotional strain, including sleepless nights, uncertainty and a growing sense of losing herself. She had previously taken time away from tennis because she was not in the right emotional condition. Monfils supported her throughout that period, but she said his presence could not resolve struggles she needed to confront herself.

The couple married in July 2021, following an earlier separation, and welcomed their daughter, Skai, in October 2022. Svitolina said their daughter would remain their central priority despite the end of the marriage. She also made clear that they would continue to share responsibility for raising her.

Svitolina described the decision as necessary for her to rebuild her life independently and said Monfils responded with respect. She presented the separation as the end of a relationship rather than a dispute, stressing that neither partner was to blame and asking for privacy while they recover.