Elina Svitolina has announced that her marriage to Gael Monfils is ending as she needs to “find my way back to myself”.
Svitolina and Monfils began dating in 2019 before marrying in the summer of 2021. In late 2022, the couple announced the birth of daughter Skai, and it seems all was well behind the scenes.
However, the Ukrainian star took to Instagram on Monday to announce that the couple would be parting ways, but “our family is not”.
The 32-year-old said despite all of Monfils‘ support, “some battles happen deep inside you,” and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you.
The world No 6 – who has spoken about how the Russia-Ukraine war has taken its toll on her – says not being able to find a solution within this marriage is the “hardest truth I have ever had to face” and the hardest thing she has ever had to tell someone.
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She has now called for space to “heal”, says there is “no one to blame”, while sending her love and respect to the Frenchman, who quietly retired from tennis earlier this month.
Svitolina wrote on Instagram, “This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to share. Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me. 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.
“With time, 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. 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. We ask for your kindness and for the space we need to heal. Thank you for your love.”
Svitolina played mixed doubles with Monfils at the US Open in September, with the latter scheduled to end his storied career at the age of 40 at the Paris Masters in the coming weeks.
That no longer seems to be the case.
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