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Elina Svitolina is more than Gael Monfils’ life partner

By TieBreakNewsPosted on
Time to Read:-words

Elina Svitolina is more than Gael Monfils’ life partner—she is his lifesaver.

In a new episode of his talk show on YouTube, Monfils revealed to former Davis Cup teammate Gilles Simon that he nearly retired from tennis during the COVID-19 pandemic due to playing in empty stadiums, which left him feeling disconnected and unmotivated.

“I don’t think so. I think I would have stopped,” Monfils admitted when Simon asked if he would still be playing had he not met Svitolina. “She helped me a lot when I came out of COVID. Post-COVID, I was still Top 10, but I wasn’t interested. Empty stadiums, and I felt that it wasn’t going well.”

Monfils said Svitolina encouraged him to focus on the positives in his life and keep pushing forward.

In October 2022, Svitolina gave birth to their daughter, Skai Monfils. During Svitolina’s pregnancy, Monfils faced chronic knee and foot injuries while dealing with personal challenges, making retirement seem inevitable. However, his wife’s words reignited his passion for the sport.

“The day I told Elina, ‘It’s over,’ she found the right words to change my mind,” Monfils said. “She helped me find this little flame again.”

Now 38, Monfils is experiencing a career resurgence. Last week, he became the oldest man to ever reach the round of 16 at the Miami Open after defeating Jaume Munar in a grueling three-set match.

The Miami run follows Monfils’ historic title win in Auckland earlier this year, making him the oldest ATP champion.

Monfils credits his resurgence to Svitolina’s unwavering support.

“Without Elina, I wouldn’t be playing. She was a big part of the reason I still compete today. So thank you, Elina!”