Public statement about the marriage
Elina Svitolina says she is undertaking divorce proceedings with Gaël Monfils after five years of marriage, according to an Instagram statement quoted in the report. The Ukrainian player said she needed to rediscover herself and did not believe she could do so within the marriage.
She described the emotional impact of the war in Ukraine, including periods of sleeplessness, doubt and feeling lost. These are her publicly shared experiences, rather than a medical diagnosis established by the article.
Svitolina also acknowledged Monfils' support. She said they had tried to overcome the difficulties together over a long period and that he had listened to and respected her needs. Her statement explicitly rejected assigning blame.
Parenting and the limits of the announcement
The couple made their relationship public in early 2019, became engaged in April 2021 and married three months later. Their daughter was born in October 2022. Svitolina said their child remained the priority and that both parents would continue to share responsibility for her upbringing.
She asked the public for understanding and privacy. The announcement does not identify another person or establish fault on either side, and saying proceedings are under way does not mean every legal step has been completed.
Monfils' retirement is a separate career development. The statement does not establish a proven causal link between the marital proceedings and the timing of his departure from professional tennis. The report's new information is Svitolina's own account of the couple's decision and intended family arrangements.