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Tennis Power Couple Split After Five Years of Marriage

The couple said the emotional toll of Russia’s war in Ukraine contributed to their decision.

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Tennis stars Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils are ending their five-year marriage. The couple said the emotional toll of Russia’s war in Ukraine contributed to their decision. Svitolina. who is Ukrainian, announced the split from Monfils, who is French, in a joint Instagram post Monday, describing it as “the most difficult thing I have ever had to share.” Svitolina, 32, said the war had brought sleepless nights and emotional struggles that she had rarely discussed publicly. Despite their efforts to save the relationship, she said she needed to rediscover herself outside the marriage. “Some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you,” she wrote, praising Monfils for supporting her through difficult times. The couple, who married in Switzerland in July 2021, share a daughter, Skai, born in October 2022. Svitolina stressed that their child would “always come first” and insisted “there is no one to blame” for the separation. The announcement follows their joint appearance in mixed doubles at the U.S. Open, where they reached the semifinals.