Recently, the name of Gaël Monfils (40) appeared on the ATP’s list of officially retired players, even though it had been planned that the French champion would bid farewell next November on the Plénitude Arena court on the occasion of his last participation at the Rolex Paris Masters. For that, everyone was waiting for an explanation from the Parisian player.
The personal reason, as indicated by the organizers of the Lyon tournament, and which led “La Monf” to bow out earlier than planned and without any new public appearance, is now known.
On Monday, in a long message posted on his social networks, Elina Svitolina, the wife of the former world No. 6, announced that she had decided to part ways with the now former tour player, thereby lifting the veil on the mystery born from her husband’s premature exit, apparently no longer able to continue playing.
“With time, I’ve understood that I needed to find myself and that I couldn’t achieve that within our marriage. This is the hardest truth I’ve ever had to accept, and the most painful thing I’ve ever had to say to the person I love. Gaël listened to me. He respected what I needed with a strength and a kindness I will never forget. Gaël loved me in my happiest moments as well as in my darkest times, and I loved him with all my heart. Together, we built a beautiful life and received the most precious gift: our daughter, Skai,” writes the Ukrainian, who says she still loves her husband just as much and also assures that if the marriage ends, the family, she, will endure.
Svitolina: “Give us the space we need to rebuild”
“Skai will always come first. Our marriage ends, but not our family. We will always be her parents, side by side, at every stage of her life,” continues the Australian Open semifinalist from the most recent edition, with the hope that the couple can “rebuild” over time. “There is no one to blame in this story. There are simply two people who deeply loved each other, and a story that today takes on another form. We ask you to show kindness and to give us the space we need to rebuild. Thank you for all your love.”
Additionally, the No. 6 in the rankings, her marriage to Monfils, has made it clear that she could not in any case resist the indelible trauma of the war in Ukraine.
“Everyone knows how much Ukraine matters to me. What I’ve rarely spoken about is what the war has done to me, deep inside my being. Last year, I explained to you that I needed to step away from the courts because I was not in an emotional state that allowed me to continue. What you didn’t see were the sleepless nights, the doubts, and that feeling of gradually losing myself. Gaël witnessed all of this. He never let go of my hand. We endured this ordeal together for a long time, putting all our strength into it. But some battles are fought deep within, and all the love another person can give us is not enough to win them for us.”
Monfils should very soon respond to this separation as well (L’Equipe asserts that it is a divorce, not a mere breakup) that no one had seen coming.
The Frenchman has so far only reposted Svitolina’s post without speaking out himself.
