World No 6 Elina Svitolina has announced she has separated from husband Gael Monfils.
In an emotional Instagram post, 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.
Svitolina said she had come to realise she needed to rediscover herself and could no longer do so within her marriage.
“This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to share,” she wrote.
“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.”
Svitolina – a four-time grand slam semi-finalist – and French former world No 6 Monfils, 40, married in 2021 and have a four-year-old daughter, Skai.
“Skai will always come first,” Svitolina added. “Our marriage is ending, but our family is not.
“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.”
Only a few months ago Svitolina and Monfils had joined forces to reach the semi-finals of the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship.
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Highlights of the Wuhan Open quarter-final between Elina Svitolina and Sonay Kartal.
Svitolina and Monfils had impressed in the tournament until coming up against Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli in the last four.
More recently, Svitolina was in action at the Wuhun Open, but ran into an inspired Sonay Kartal, with the Brit winning their quarter-final clash in three sets.
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