Gael Monfils Abruptly Retires from Tennis After Split From Elina Svitolina
The French tennis star reportedly decided he was 'no longer able to play' following his wife's announcement of their separation.
Gael Monfils has abruptly retired from professional tennis, with reports indicating the separation from his wife, fellow tennis star Elina Svitolina, led to the decision. The French player reportedly felt tennis had "lost all meaning" after Svitolina announced their split, citing the "devastating toll" of the war in Ukraine on her mental health.
Svitolina, 32, confirmed the end of their marriage on social media on Monday. Monfils, 40, and Svitolina, who have been a couple since 2018 and married in 2021, share a four-year-old daughter. Svitolina emphasized that their child remains their top priority as they navigate the separation.
According to French newspaper L'Equipe, the news of the divorce "hit him like a ton of bricks," causing Monfils to decide he was "no longer able to play." This led to him bringing forward his retirement, which had previously been planned for the end of the 2026 season.
Fans had noted Monfils' absence from the professional circuit when he appeared on a retired players list maintained by the International Tennis Integrity Agency. This status prohibits him from competing in professional events.
Monfils had been expected to play his final events at the Paris Masters in early November and was granted a wildcard for an ATP 250 event in Lyon this week. He was scheduled to participate in an exhibition match there with former French stars Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon, and Richard Gasquet, a group once dubbed the "New Musketeers." However, organizers confirmed his withdrawal from the exhibition earlier this month for "personal reasons," with Lucas Pouille stepping in as his replacement.
His official career finale occurred at the US Open in September, where he was defeated in the second round by Learner Tien. Reflecting after that match, Monfils stated, "I'm just me, Gael Monfils. I think I have been the same since I came on tour, with a lot of joy. The most important for me is how my family lived all these years and how they will remember this ride was unbelievable."
Monfils, considered one of the top players never to win a Grand Slam, also competed in the mixed doubles at the US Open with Svitolina. He had previously received an emotional send-off at his home major, Roland-Garros, in May.
Monfils, who reached a career-high ranking of world No. 6 and appeared in two Grand Slam semifinals (2008 and 2016), had announced plans to transition into finance, joining a Swiss management firm after his tennis career.
In her social media post, Svitolina shared that the ongoing conflict in her homeland has led to sleepless nights and self-doubt, admitting on Instagram that she needs to rediscover her identity. "Gael saw all of it. He never let go of my hand. We fought through this together for a long time, with everything we had," she wrote. "But some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you. 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."
Svitolina, currently ranked world No. 6, recently qualified for the season-ending Women's Tennis Association Finals.