When Elina Svitolina was a young player in Ukraine, she took a liking to Gael Monfils after watching him on the television. At a shop with several racquets for sale, there used to be one Prince model with Monfils’ picture on it. If someone had told her then that she would end up marrying the guy on the cardboard, Svitolina, in her own words, wouldn’t have believed them. Few years later, the two were on their first date, sipping coffee, talking “about wanting kids”. They dated for around two years, were married for five, and have one daughter, with Monfils last year saying that not tennis, but having an “unbelievable family” is his eventual dream.

Understandably, when the two shared their decision to part ways, many were shocked. The Ukrainian star announced the news on Instagram by writing, “This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to share.” But when you look at the rest of her message, which was one of the most transparent messages from a player regarding her personal life, it is easy to see how the aspects that made them unbelievable — imbued with love and respect — cannot easily be tainted by anything.

The world No. 6 spoke about what the conflicts in Ukraine have done to her inside, and said that last year she stepped away from the court because she was not 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,” she wrote. 

“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.” Svitolina added. 

There was no bitterness anywhere in the message. 

“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.”

“It is the hardest truth I have ever had to face and the hardest thing I have ever had to say to the person I love. He respected what I need with a strength and an elegance I will never forget.” 

Svitolina and Monfils, aka G.E.M.S. Life (Gael/Elina/Monfils/Svitolina), looked like one of the most complete couples and families on tour. Just weeks ago they were smiling their way through the US Open, where they reached the mixed doubles semifinals. 

While they often shared the practice court and had participated together in several exhibition and fundraiser events, it was the first time the pair had teamed up in a professional event, and they did it to build memories before Monfils leaves the court for good. They had a blast, with smiles and hugs everywhere. After one win, they shared a kiss on court, and Monfils joked, “Happy wife, happy life.” They eventually lost to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in the semifinal, but the images of a happy couple stayed with fans.

The two officially announced their relationship on Instagram in January 2019. And Monfils was the one to take the first step, inviting Svitolina to join him and his friends for drinks after she won the 2018 WTA Finals in Singapore. Funnily, he barely talked to her all night, but as she was leaving the bar, he walked to her taxi and asked if she’d like to have coffee with him the next day. It didn’t end at coffee, as the two walked around Paris, getting to know each other.

Monfils is eight years older than Svitolina, and the two quickly became tennis’s favorite power couple. They briefly split in February 2021, but the break did not last long. The couple announced their engagement in April, posting pictures of a three-stone emerald-cut engagement ring against the romantic backdrop of snow-covered mountains, and married on July 16, 2021. Later, Svitolina took a maternity break from March 2022 and returned to the tour in April 2023 after Skai was born in October 2022.  

“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,” Svitolina added in her message.

Svitolina was always visibly Monfils’ biggest supporter, and the feeling was mutual. At the 2025 Australian Open, Monfils knocked out fourth seed Taylor Fritz in the third round, and a few hours later on the same court, his wife Svitolina defeated fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini with him watching from the box. She said afterwards that she had been “inspired” by her husband’s win. The two also hold singles titles in the same tournament in consecutive years (Svitolina won the 2026 ASB Classic Women’s Singles title in Auckland after Monfils had won the men’s crown a year earlier), becoming one of the few to do that.

The Ukrainian was emotional and supportive when Monfils revealed in October 2025 that 2026 would be his last season, saying that the hardest part was when he first told her and that she wanted to be there at every stage. At Roland Garros, his home Grand Slam, the couple took part in a farewell event honoring his career. Svitolina was in tears as Monfils thanked his wife on court. 

Now, many believe that the separation might have played a role in Monfils retiring early. He announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season in October last year, which made his appearance at the upcoming Paris Masters a given for fans.

Then, just a week ago, he was quietly listed as retired, with no explanation. Fans knew that Monfils had also lined up a role in wealth management with a Swiss company after tennis, so his new job was considered a factor — that is, before the separation announcement. However, nothing can be said for sure. He last played at the US Open, and while he was given a wildcard for the ATP 250 tournament in Lyon, organizers said he had withdrawn for personal reasons.

Svitolina will now return to her first WTA finals since marriage and her first child. With this announcement, too, clearly, a lot has happened. She’d be hoping to keep the inevitable questions about her private life at a distance as she returns to Indian Wells.

Yet, what’s happening in Ukraine will never be far from her thoughts, even when tennis takes her thousands of miles from home.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Svitolina has spoken candidly about the anxiety of competing abroad while worrying about the safety of her family and friends.

Her foundation has raised more than $1 million to support young people affected by the conflict, while she has also served as an ambassador for United24, the Ukrainian government-backed fundraising initiative.

On court, Svitolina has stood alongside fellow Ukrainian players in refusing to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents. And after Marta Kostyuk revealed that a missile had struck near her family’s home in Kyiv, Svitolina spoke about the fear that follows Ukrainian players even when they are far from the conflict.

“You start to think about your life and what are you doing here, in a way, because you could potentially lose your family,” Svitolina said at a news conference.