Elina Svitolina says Gaël Monfils stopped playing after their separation
In a second statement, Svitolina said Monfils chose to stop playing following their separation and clarified that her decision to end the marriage involved more than one factor.
Elina Svitolina said on Tuesday, 20 October, that Gaël Monfils decided to stop playing tennis following their separation. In a follow-up Instagram post reported by The Independent, the Ukrainian player also clarified that the emotional toll of the war in Ukraine was only one factor in her decision to end their marriage. Her account offers an explanation for Monfils’s abrupt retirement, which came before his expected farewell tournament in Paris.
Svitolina said Monfils had faced accusations he did not deserve and that the two had jointly released a statement. She said some matters behind personal decisions were too private to explain publicly. Her account describes the timing and circumstances of his decision; she did not give a fuller account of what led him to retire.
What Svitolina clarified about their separation
In her first statement, reported by the BBC on 19 October, Svitolina described sleepless nights, doubts and the effect of Russia’s war on her. She said she needed to find her way back to herself and could not do so within the marriage. The couple married in 2021 and have a daughter, Skai, whom Svitolina said they would continue to raise together.
Her later post said the war was one of several reasons that had shaped her thinking. Svitolina wrote that living through more than four and a half years of war had changed her perspective, values and priorities. She said she had realised she did not want to keep living in a way that left her unhappy, and described reaching that decision as difficult.
The follow-up adds those clarifications to NewsJaws’s earlier report on Svitolina’s separation announcement and her account of the war’s emotional impact.
Monfils retired before his planned Paris farewell
The BBC reported that Monfils had appeared on the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s retired-player list the previous week. The French player, 40, had been expected to end his career at the Paris Masters in November. The Independent reported that his last match was a second-round defeat to Learner Tien at the US Open in September.
Monfils won 13 ATP Tour titles and reached two Grand Slam semi-finals, according to the BBC. Svitolina, a four-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, is ranked sixth in the world. They played mixed doubles together at this year’s US Open and reached the semi-finals.
Read in depth: Sports
Erik ten Hag says Cristiano Ronaldo let Manchester United down
The former United manager said Ronaldo lacked the preparation and movement needed for the role he had planned for him during their brief time together at Old Trafford.
Rams fall to 2-4 after late Cardinals field goal as injuries mount
Arizona’s last-second field goal handed Los Angeles an 18-16 home defeat. Sean McVay said the Rams’ energy fell short as injuries mount at receiver, defensive tackle and kicker.
Sources and context
- Elina Svitolina confirms divorce led to premature Gael Monfils retirementThe Independent (article carried by Yahoo Sports; by Jamie Braidwood)
- Tennis star Svitolina says emotional toll of Ukraine war led to Monfils separationBBC News (reports Reuters image credit; article by Jack Burgess)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.