On 19 October 2026 Elina Svitolina announced her divorce from Gaël Monfis. She described the moment as the most difficult thing she has ever had to say, calling it the hardest truth she has ever faced. In her statement she emphasized that there is no blame, only two people who deeply loved each other and whose story is simply changing its form.
Throughout her announcement Svitolina returned repeatedly to their daughter, Sky. She said that together they had built a beautiful life and received their most precious gift – their daughter. She promised that Sky would always come first and that both parents would remain her mother and father, walking beside her at every stage of her life.
The relationship between Svitolina and Monfis lasted five years. This span frames the period during which they built the family they now continue to nurture apart.
His retirement from the tour is presented as a backdrop to the personal transition both athletes are undergoing.
The materials reference two specific dates: 16 July 2021 and 15 October 2022. These appear in the chronological record of the couple’s story, though their precise significance is not elaborated beyond their inclusion in the timeline.
At the time of the announcement Gaël Monfis had recently ended his professional tennis career at the age of forty. His retirement from the tour is presented as a backdrop to the personal transition both athletes are undergoing.
Elina Svitolina, thirty‑two years old, remains active on the WTA tour and is currently ranked sixth in the world. She has said she is preparing to compete in the 2026 WTA Finals in Indian Wells, United States, indicating that her professional focus persists despite the personal change.
In her remarks Svitolina alluded to the impact of the war on her inner life, noting that while everyone knows how much Ukraine means to her, she has rarely spoken about how the conflict has affected her deeply. This acknowledgment adds a layer of personal context to her decision to seek a new path.
In Ukrainian she said, "Together we built a beautiful life, and we received the most precious gift – our daughter Sky. Sky will always come first. Our marriage is coming to an end, but our family is not. We will forever remain her parents, we will walk side by side at every stage of her life. Please know: there is no guilt here. Only two people who deeply loved each other, and a story that is simply changing its format." In English she expressed, "I understood that I need to find my way back to myself, and that I won’t be able to do it staying in our relationship. This is the hardest truth I've ever had to face, and the hardest thing I've ever had to say to the person I love." In French she stated, "Tout le monde sait à quel point l’Ukraine compte pour moi, ce dont j’ai rarement parlé, c’est de l’impact que la guerre a eu sur moi, au plus profond de moi-même." and "C’est la vérité la plus difficile à laquelle j’ai jamais dû faire face et la chose la plus difficile que j’ai jamais dû dire à la personne que j’aime."
The announcement marks a clear personal turning point for both athletes while affirming their ongoing commitment to their daughter. Svitolina continues to compete at the highest level, Monfis has moved on from professional play, and both emphasize that their family unit, centered on Sky, remains intact despite the change in their marital status.