At 38 years old, Gael Monfils has been a mainstay on the ATP Tour for nearly two decades, known for his electrifying athleticism and entertaining style of play. Over the years, he has competed against legends like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, as well as the new generation of players. However, Monfils recently shared that without his wife, fellow tennis player Elina Svitolina, he likely would have retired much earlier.
Speaking on his podcast Talk Show with former ATP player Gilles Simon, Monfils reflected on how close he came to walking away from the sport, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. “If I hadn’t met Elina, I would’ve retired already… no doubt. I think I would’ve called it quits after COVID. At that time, I was still in the top 10, but it meant nothing to me. Empty stadiums… it was a different energy. I just felt it wasn’t for me anymore.”
Monfils recalled discussing retirement with Svitolina, explaining that he struggled to regain his level and found himself frustrated. “I started to tell Elina that maybe it was time to stop. I couldn’t get back to my previous level, and it was deeply frustrating. She helped me get through it. Not right away, but when winter came, I started feeling that spark again. A bit of joy on court… for me, this is crucial.”
That spark led to a strong resurgence, including a title run in Adelaide and a deep Australian Open run in 2022, but another injury setback reignited doubts. “Then I had a good run, got my ranking back up to #14, won Adelaide, reached the Australian Open quarterfinals. But then came another injury, my foot… I was out for seven months. On top of that, Elina was pregnant, I had a serious family issue… and honestly, I thought, ‘This is the end.’”
He continued, “But Elina… she found the right words. She said to me, ‘Look, I’m coming back after giving birth… so you can do it too.’ She gave me motivation. I told her, ‘I need a clear goal,’ and we set one together. She helped me immensely. And then I said, and everyone laughed, ‘I want to qualify for the Olympics.’ At that point, I was ranked somewhere around 400 in the world.”
Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils during an exhibition match at the 2023 US Open ( Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Now, Monfils credits his wife with saving his career. “My wife literally saved me. She reignited that fire in me. You know, sometimes it’s burning bright, sometimes it’s barely a flame. She brought it back. So yes, to answer the question… she played a huge, decisive role in the fact that I’m still playing tennis. Thank you, Elina.”
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Monfils’ 2025 season resurgence
At 38 years old, Monfils has continued to defy expectations. At the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland, he became the oldest quarterfinalist since 1970 with a straight-sets win over ninth seed Jan-Lennard Struff. He advanced to the final after defeating Facundo Diaz Acosta and Nishesh Basavareddy, eventually claiming the title and becoming the oldest ATP champion since Ken Rosewall in 1977.
Recently, at the Miami Open, he became the second-oldest player to reach the fourth round of a Masters 1000 event after defeating Jiri Lehecka and Jaume Munar.
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She was World No. 1, retired at 23, then made one of tennis’ greatest comebacks as a mother
Monfils and Svitolina went public with their relationship in 2019, got engaged on April 3, 2021, and tied the knot on July 16. The couple later welcomed a daughter in 2022.
