Elina Svitolina has confirmed the end of her marriage to Gael Monfils in a social media post on Monday.

The women’s world No.6 published a lengthy statement in which she described it as ‘the most difficult thing I have ever had to share.’ Svitolina first met Monfils in 2018, and they married in July 2021 after a brief engagement. Together, they have a daughter named Skai, born in October 2022.

Speaking about their separation, Svitolina opened up about how the ongoing war in her home country has impacted her mental health and paid tribute to the support Monfils has given her.

“Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me,” she wrote.

“ What I have rarely spoken about is what the war has done to me inside. Last year, I told you I needed to step away from the court because I wasn’t in the right emotional space.

“Today, I want to open up a little more. What you didn’t see were the sleepless nights, the doubts, and the feeling of slowly losing myself.

“Gaël saw all of it. He never let go of my hand. We fought through this together for a long time, with everything we had. But some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you.”

Elaborating further, Svitolina said she feels unable to continue the marriage, which she says ended on mutual terms.

“I came to understand that I need to find my way back to myself and that I cannot do that within our marriage. It is the hardest truth I have ever had to face and the hardest thing I have ever had to tell the person I love,” she continued.

“Gaël listened. He has respected what I need with a strength and grace I will never forget.

“Gaël has loved me through my greatest joys and my darkest moments, and I have loved him with all my heart. Together, we built a beautiful life, and we were given the most precious gift of all, our daughter, Skai.

“Skai will always come first. Our marriage is ending, but our family is not. We will always be her parents, side by side, at every step of her life.”

“Please know that there is no one to blame here. There are only two people who loved each other deeply and a story that is changing shape.”

Svitolina recently played in Asia and reached the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open last Friday before losing to Sonay Kartal. She has secured a spot at the WTA Finals, becoming the first mother to qualify for the year-end event since Kim Clijsters in 2010. It will be the first time she has played at the WTA Finals since 2019 and the fourth time in her career.

Her divorce was confirmed after Monfils abruptly retired from the Tour. He last played at the US Open but was expected to feature in the Paris Masters later this month. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency listed him as “inactive” as of October 5th without any announcement from the player himself. The ITIA oversees anti-doping, and Monfils would not be subject to those rules, making him ineligible to compete in professional tournaments.

Monfils shared Svitolina’s statement on his Instagram account but has yet to comment further.