Elina Svitolina opens up about ‘perfect match’ with Gael Monfils as she makes candid ‘moody’ confession

Shahida Jacobs 31 May 2024 10:34 AM

Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils featured

Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils one of tennis' power couples

There is an increase in power couples in tennis, but how do the players cope with being in a relationship or married to a fellow professional player?

Power couples on the ATP and WTA Tours are once again the talk of the town after reigning Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner confirmed that he is in a relationship with WTA star Anna Kalinskaya.

The pair have joined the list of tennis players who are dating with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Paula Badosa, Katie Boulter and Alex de Minaur, and Madison Keys and Bjorn Fratangelo the more high-profile couples on the tours.

But while the above players are still in the dating phase, Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils are a few extra steps ahead of them as they are not only married, but they also have a daughter named Skai.

READ MORE: Jannik Sinner and Anna Kalinskaya join list of 7 tennis power couples

The pair’s relationship first became public in 2019 and they tied the knot in July 2021 before Svitolina gave birth in October 2022.

There have no doubt been some sticky points over the years, but Svitolina and Monfils have learned how to deal with the ups and downs over the years and their love story is still going strong.

“Well, for us there are no issues… I feel like it helps both of us to analyse and to help each other in tough moments,” Svitolina explained.

“We’re used to it now. It’s been years that we had together, few years that we are married, as well.. When we have tough moments, we know what to say. We know also, you know, you start to know a person what we like, what we don’t like.

“I feel like for us it’s a perfect match (smiling) in a way. Because me, after losses I can be sometimes for a couple of days really moody and really difficult to handle (smiling). So he knows how to treat me and how to, you know, to comfort me.

“Also, you know, he’s very different. I let him also play video games to release all these negative things that sometimes he has after the losses, and sometimes media also pisses him off a bit (smiling).

“In a way I feel like we are used to it now and it helps us because we know how to support each other and we know what we’re going through.”