Elina Svitolina’s Tribute to Gaël Monfils at His Last French Open

Last week, Elina Svitolina penned an open letter in The Player’s Tribune directed to her three-year-old daughter, Skaï. She shares Skaï with her husband, Gaël Monfils. In the letter, Svitolina honored Monfils as he prepared to participate in his final French Open at Roland-Garros.

Monfils announced in October on Instagram that he would retire at the close of the 2026 tennis season. Svitolina expressed admiration for Monfils, stating, “Because your dad, in just one shot, one moment, he could achieve what few athletes ever achieve. He could make people feel something.”

In a gripping match, Monfils faced fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston and ultimately lost in five sets. On the iconic clay court, Monfils stirred emotions with his words directed at Svitolina.

“I would like to thank my wife because without her, I wouldn’t be here tonight,” Monfils stated, according to a translation by Bastien Fachan. “We’ve been together for eight beautiful years. You have supported, uplifted, loved me, and gifted me our daughter. I love you.” Svitolina, who ended an eight-year title drought with a recent win at the Italian Open, responded with a tearful smile.

Subsequently, Monfils shared with reporters that his team had sought a wild card for Wimbledon. He remarked, “I feel like a lot of guys deserve it more than me, so I’ll wait and see. But, hopefully, [I’ll play] Wimbledon.”

In January 2025, Monfils became renowned as the oldest player to secure an ATP Tour title by winning in Auckland, as reported by ESPN. Overall, he has claimed 13 tour titles, and his top performance at Roland-Garros was reaching the 2008 semifinals, where he faced Roger Federer.