Elina Svitolina announces separation from Gaël Monfils

Elina Svitolina has announced her separation from her husband Gaël Monfils.

The 32-year-old Ukrainian, ranked world No 6, confirmed the news in an Instagram post on 19 October, The Guardian. The ranking places her among the top seeds in the women's game, the players protected from meeting each other in the early rounds. Monfils is 40, French, and a former world No 6 on the men's tour.

Svitolina linked the decision to the mental toll of Russia's war against Ukraine. She described sleepless nights and self-doubt. She said she needs to find her way back to herself and cannot do that within her marriage.

Svitolina and Monfils married in 2021. That is five years ago. They have a four-year-old daughter named Skai.

The announcement speaks to pressure away from the court. Svitolina has continued to compete at the highest level while speaking openly about the war. She has carried that weight in public for more than four years. She said it has worn her down.

As a player, Svitolina is a four-time Grand Slam semi-finalist. That means she has four times reached the last four at the sport's four biggest tournaments. It is a mark of rare consistency. One win more would have put her in a final.

Monfils built a long career at the top of the men's game. A former world No 6 ranking shows he once stood among the six best players in the world. He will not play the Paris Masters starting this week. The event had been expected to be his final professional tournament.

That absence follows a report on 14 October that he had apparently retired ahead of schedule, Reuters. The most recent account confirms he will miss Paris. No reason beyond the separation announcement has been given for the withdrawal.

For fans, this closes a familiar chapter. Svitolina and Monfils were husband and wife and tour regulars at the same time. They practised together, travelled together and supported each other from the stands. Now they go separate ways.

The tennis will continue. Svitolina remains world No 6 and a contender wherever she plays. Monfils steps away after two decades as a professional. The result here is not a scoreline. It is a family decision, explained in plain and painful terms.