Elina Svitolina, a Ukrainian tennis player, shared that her choice to end her marriage with Gaël Monfils involved more complexities than just the impact of the war in Ukraine.
The couple announced their separation after five years of marriage through an Instagram post on Monday. In the post, Svitolina, 32, mentioned how the ongoing conflict had caused her to lose herself, leading her to realize she needed to reconnect with her identity outside of the relationship.
Following this, Svitolina released another statement on Tuesday to provide further insight, noting that Monfils, 40, had opted to retire sooner than planned partly due to their divorce.
“I want to shed some light on my previous message because I’ve come to understand that not everyone, particularly my international followers, fully grasped my intent,” Svitolina, currently ranked No. 6 in the world, wrote.
“In that post, I highlighted just one aspect that influenced my thoughts and reflections regarding my life and future. However, the reality is far more nuanced, and it was never solely about one issue.”
“Having lived through the realities of war for over four and a half years, facing a mix of emotions and challenging moments, it’s natural to start viewing life through a different lens. Your perspective shifts, priorities change, and you begin to identify what’s truly meaningful to you.”
Svitolina and Monfils, who wed in Switzerland in July 2021, have a daughter named Skaï, born in October 2022.
“At some point, I came to the realization that I didn’t want to continue living a life where I felt unfulfilled,” she expressed. “Reaching this conclusion was far from simple. I have deep love and respect for my husband, and I will always hold appreciation for the person he is. That’s why it was crucial for me to be honest with both him and myself.”
“It’s not always feasible to convey everything motivating such deeply personal decisions in just one post. Honestly, some matters are too private to share widely. That was my perspective on announcing our marriage’s end. However, as many of you noticed, Gaël’s career concluded rather abruptly after he decided to step back due to our situation. He faced many unfair allegations that he didn’t deserve, which prompted us to issue a joint statement.”
“I hope this helps clarify what I was trying to express, but I kindly ask for your understanding. This is an incredibly difficult time for both of us 💔.”
Monfils, who had earlier indicated he would retire following a 22-year career at the Paris Masters in November, was officially registered as retired by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on October 5.
The 13-time ATP Tour singles champion had withdrawn from a wild card position at the ATP 250 event in Lyon on Monday due to “personal reasons,” according to the tournament.
Monfils played his last match on September 3, losing in the second round of the US Open to Learner Tien (6–3, 6–4, 6–3).
Previously, Svitolina and Monfils had reached the mixed doubles semifinals together at the US Open in August.
She is currently having a notable campaign in 2026.
