New Delhi, October 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
World No. 6 Elina Svitolina has issued a clarification regarding her announcement of separation from fellow tennis star and husband Gael Monfils, explaining that her decision was influenced by multiple factors and not just the emotional toll of the Russia-Ukraine war.
In her initial statement, the Ukrainian tennis star spoke about experiencing “sleepless nights, doubts and the feeling of slowly losing myself” amid the ongoing war. She did not blame Monfils, her French husband, and acknowledged that he had always stood by her. She said she needed to “find my way back to myself” as she announced the end of their marriage.
In a subsequent Instagram post, Svitolina said she wanted to clarify her earlier remarks, particularly for her international audience, who might not have fully understood her message.
“I just want to clarify my previous post a little, because I realised that not everyone, especially my international audience, fully understood what I was trying to say,” she wrote.
She explained that the war was only one of the factors that had prompted her to reflect on her life and future.
“In that post, I shared only one of the reasons that influenced my decision and made me reflect on my life and my future. But the truth is, there’s so much more to it, and it was never just about one thing,” Svitolina said.
Reflecting on the impact of the conflict, she said living through more than four-and-a-half years of war had changed her perspective, values and priorities.
“At some point, I simply realised that I didn’t want to keep living a life where I wasn’t truly happy. And believe me, coming to this decision was anything but easy,” she added.
The 32-year-old emphasised that she continued to love and respect Monfils.
“I love and respect my husband very much. And I will always love and appreciate him for the person he is. That’s exactly why it was so important for me to be honest, both with him and with myself,” she said.
Svitolina also addressed speculation surrounding Monfils’ abrupt departure from professional tennis. The Frenchman had reportedly planned to retire after competing before his home fans at the Paris Masters, scheduled to begin on October 31. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed that he had been added to its list of retired athletes on October 5.
French publication L’Équipe reported that the timing of his retirement was linked to the couple’s separation, suggesting that the news had deeply affected him.
Svitolina said some aspects of their decision were too personal to discuss publicly. She also noted that Monfils had faced accusations he did not deserve, prompting the couple to issue a joint statement.
“I just hope this helps you understand a little better what I was trying to say, but please be kind and understanding; this is incredibly tough for us both right now,” she wrote.
In her earlier statement, Svitolina had stressed that although their marriage was ending, their family would remain intact. The couple married in July 2021 and welcomed their daughter, Skai, in October 2022.
“Our marriage is ending, but our family is not. We will always be her parents, side by side, at every step of her life,” she had said.
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