It is a real feat achieved by Gael Monfils last night at the Indian Wells tournament. The 35-year-old Frenchman achieved one of his best performances on the circuit by defeating the brand new world number 1, the Russian Daniil Medvedev. A magnificent victory which brings a little happiness to the tennis player in the complicated period he is going through with his wife Elina Svitolina. The 27-year-old Ukrainian has been completely in shock since the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
It was hard to watch my wife cry every night. I try to support her, to carry her
Returning to competition after five weeks without playing following an illness, Gaël Monfils wanted to pay tribute to the relatives of the one he married in July 2021. “It’s not easy to see my in-laws suffer”, admits the great friend of Benoît Paire. A terrible period for Elina Svitolina, as the tennis player admits: “It was hard to see my wife crying every night. I try to support her, to carry her. I’m here for her, for her family.”.
Aware that his companion is not at best, she who was eliminated in the first round of the Indian Wells tournament, Gaël Monfils assures that he will always be there for her. “I would do anything for them”, he insists, speaking of Elina and her family. For her part, the Ukrainian sportswoman participates in several charity events and she has also decided to donate her tournament winnings to the Ukrainian army. “I am really grateful to all the people who defend Ukraine and the people living in Ukraine who are going through difficult days at the moment”she said during the evening Tennis with the Starsthe proceeds of which went to support funds for refugees from the war in Ukraine.