Elina Svitolina has announced she has separated from husband Gael Monfils.
In an emotional Instagram post on Monday, October 19, the 32-year-old Ukrainian opened up about the mental toll of Russia's ongoing war against her country, describing sleepless nights and self-doubt, Sky News reported.
Svitolina said she had come to realise she needed to rediscover herself and could no longer do so within her marriage.
She wrote, "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. 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. Gael listened. He has respected what I need with a strength and grace I will never forget. Skai will always come first. Our marriage is ending, but our family is not,” the French former world No 6 added.
Svitolina, a four-time grand slam semi-finalist, andMonfils, 40, married in 2021 and have a four-year-old daughter, Skai.
Only a few months ago Svitolina and Monfils had joined forces to reach the semi-finals of the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship.
Svitolina and Monfils had impressed in the tournament until coming up against Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in the last four.
