Elina Svitolina Reveals the Next Move of Gael Monfils After Australian Open Exit

Elina Svitolina admitted that she’s proud of sharing her husband, Gael Monfils‘ final moments of his career after the Frenchman’s big farewell to the Australian Open following his first round loss at Melbourne Park. Meanwhile, Svitolina is into the third round of the Grand Slam event after beating Linda Klimovicova.

Monfils announced last October that the 2026 season was going to be his last on tour and that he would play his last professional tennis match at the Rolex Paris Masters in November. The 39-year-old, who is known for his athletic shot-making skills, has been struggling with injuries in recent months.

This time last year, he famously defeated Taylor Fritz en route to his round of 16 finish. He had first beaten Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in five sets in the first round and was hailed for his athleticism on the court. But on Monday (January 20), he could not produce the same level of performance against Dane Sweeny.

The Frenchman won the first set, after displaying a glimpse of his usual relentless ability to come back from breaks down. But in the second set, he began to feel tired, and as the match went on, he started leaping on his racket, while shaking his head in disappointment. Sweeny claimed the win 6(3)-7, 8-5, 6-4, 7-5.

Afterwards, Monfils then bid an emotional farewell to the crowd after making a short speech on the court. Svitolina, who has been with him since 2019, revealed after her win in the second round that tennis will always remain part of their life, even with her husband retiring from professional tennis:

I’m very fortunate to be next to him and sharing this moment He’s just a husband I would say. It’s difficult to escape, not to talk about tennis. Because being both at such a high level and competing in the same tournament, of course tennis is always a part of our life right now. The years go on and I’m not sure how it’s gonna be after. But I’m sure we’re gonna enjoy it as a family and I think this really comes first for us.

Svitolina and Monfils were romantically connected online before making their relationship public in 2019. They then got engaged in April 2021 and married a few months later that same year. The couple welcomed their daughter, Skai, in October 2022.

Elina Svitolina refreshed on the court after taking a mental break last year

Elina Svitolina is yet to lose a match this season on tour. The Ukrainian currently holds a 7-0 record on tour this season and she’s yet to drop a set in Melbourne. In the second round, she produced an excellent performance to beat Linda Klimovicova 7-5, 6-1 to book her place in the third round of the Grand Slam tournament.

The 12th seed took a break from tour after the North American hard-court swing citing she needed a mental break. Back on the court this season, she looks rejuvenated and she’s currently playing her best tennis. During her press conference at the Australian Open, she noted the break from tour has paid off this season:

If I would push myself to finish the year, really force myself, I don’t think I would start the season even playing in Australia, because I would be really dead mentally. I can see now that I’m more refreshed. I’m ready to face difficult situations in the matches. When I face difficult situations, I’m ready to accept that sometimes things are not going your way, and you have to fight.

This is Svitolina’s 13th appearance at the Australian Open. She reached the quarter-finals last year before losing to eventual champion Madison Keys and it was the third time that she had reached that stage. She will face Russia’s Diana Shnaider in the third round as she seeks to book a place in the round of 16.

Also Read: Boris Becker Highlights ‘Contradiction’ Within Naomi Osaka’s Viral Outfit at the Australian Open

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