the essential
The French player signed one of the greatest feats of his career, this Saturday January 18 at the Australian Open, by eliminating the 4th player in the world at the age of 38.
She still enjoyed her husband’s victory, even though she herself had a match to play a few minutes later! This Saturday, January 18, the French tennis player Gaël Monfils was the author of one of the greatest exploits of his career: at 38 years old, the Parisian (41st in the world) beat the American Fritz, 4th best player in the world, to qualify for the round of 16 of the Australian Open (3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4).
A success that was followed in the corridors of the Grand Slam in Melbourne by a certain… Elina Svitolina! The Ukrainian player, herself involved in the competition (against the Italian Paolini), posted an Instagram story in which we see her celebrating the Frenchman’s success. The reason? Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils are married.
The two tennis champions began their romance in 2018, and got married in 2021. A year later, in October 2022, they had the pleasure of welcoming Skaï, their daughter, their first child.
Very marked by the war in Ukraine
The Odessa native is 30 years old and has a track record of 17 titles, won between 2013 and 2023. Currently the 27th player in the world, she rose to 3rd in the WTA rankings in September 2017.
-In terms of Grand Slam tournaments, her most successful year dates back to 2019: she then reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon and then the US Open.
In 2022, the young woman goes through a period of doubts and temporarily withdraws from the tennis courts. She found herself particularly affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, her native country, where her octogenarian grandmother remained.
“I would like to be able to help her more but for now, the only thing she is asking for is photos and videos of Skaï,” Svitolina testified last summer in the New York Times. She lives for these photos. One of the most rewarding things, she told me, was that my foundation ensured that all my matches were broadcast for free in Ukraine; one of them was also projected on a large outdoor screen in kyiv. I was very happy that Ukrainian children could watch and be inspired.”
Elina Svitolina is an ambassador for the “United 24” association, created by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose goal is to raise funds to help all Ukrainians affected by the war.
