Gael Monfils has branded criticism of his wife Elina Svitolina as "venomous" and "upsetting" following the announcement of their separation. Svitolina announced the end of one of tennis' most high-profile relationships in an emotional Instagram post earlier this week, where she attributed the split in part to the mental toll of Russia's ongoing war in her native Ukraine.
That post sparked a wave of hostility online towards the world No 6, which intensified when she confirmed that the end of the marriage had led Monfils to retire earlier than planned. The 40-year-old Frenchman had been due to bow out at the Paris Masters next month, but his second-round loss to Learner Tien at the US Open turned out to be his last match as a professional.
Monfils leapt to his wife's defence in an Instagram post on Friday. "Even though she did not owe anyone an explanation, Elina chose to speak vulnerably and truthfully about her reasons for this decision," he wrote. He said that many decided her explanation wasn't perfect enough, and that she had faced criticism he found "unkind at best and venomous at worst." He added: "While I am deeply grateful that the public feels so invested in my happiness, I have found the lack of grace and kindness shown towards Elina upsetting."
Svitolina, a four-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, and Monfils married in 2021 and have a four-year-old daughter, Skai. In her post, Svitolina said she had come to realise she needed to rediscover herself and could no longer do so within her marriage. "Gael listened. He has respected what I need with a strength and grace I will never forget," she wrote. She added: "Skai will always come first. Our marriage is ending, but our family is not."
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing