The 2026 Australian Open has been an emotional ride for Elina Svitolina as she deals with a particularly bittersweet moment for her family. The Ukrainian star showed her usual dominance on court, but what came after during her interview touched on something far deeper and more personal.
With her husband, Gaël Monfils, competing in his final Australian Open before retiring later this year, the couple is sharing this tournament under circumstances that have caught everyone’s attention.
Elina Svitolina Opens Up on Gaël Monfils’ Australian Open Result
Svitolina took on the Polish qualifier Linda Klimovicova at the Australian Open on Wednesday, Jan. 21, with a final score of 7-5, 6-1 at John Cain Arena. The 12th seed from Ukraine dominated the match entirely and is on a 7-match win streak, which she started when she won the ASB Classic title just days before the Australian Open.
Right after her victory, Svitolina was asked during her on-court interview about something personal. The interviewer brought up her husband Monfils’ first-round loss to Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny the day before and asked how she was handling it emotionally. Svitolina gave an honest answer and shared her feelings, saying,
“Of course i was very, very sad yesterday,” after watching her husband’s final Australian Open appearance.
When the interviewer joked about whether she’d given Monfils a hard time over losing, Svitolina laughed it off and said no. “He played here so many years. I think for all of us it’s such a pleasure to have him for the last year here. Finishing the year in October, it’s going to be a really special year for him. I’m very fortunate to be next to him and sharing this moment,” she added.
The interviewer then inquired about Monfil’s role in her team, whether he gives her any advice, or if he’s just there for her support.
She said, “He’s just a husband I would say,” with a laugh. “It’s difficult to escape, not to talk about tennis. Because being both at such a high level and competing in the same tournament, of course tennis is always a part of our life right now. The years go on and I’m not sure how it’s gonna be after. But I’m sure we’re gonna enjoy it as a family and I think this really comes first for us,” she added.
Elina Svitolina after beating Klimovicova at the Australian Open
“Your husband lost yesterday. He played his last Australian Open. What does that do to you emotionally?”
Elina: “Of course i was very very sad yesterday.”
“Did you give him a hard time?”
Elina: “No no no 😂. He… pic.twitter.com/P0bS7ogbES
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 21, 2026
Svitolina and Monfils began dating in late 2018 and announced their engagement in April 2021. They later tied the knot in July 2021 and have a daughter named Skaï, who was born in 2022. Monfils accepted in multiple interviews that he was on the verge of retiring during the Covid-19 period, but Svitolina changed his outlook and made him feel there was “still a lot of tennis left” in him.
Monfils’ Last Ever Australian Open Appearance
Monfils’ chapter at the Australian Open closed on Tuesday after 21 years when the 39-year-old lost his first-round match to Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny 7-6 (3), 5-7, 4-6, 5-7. The match went almost four hours, and Monfils showed the fight in him despite dealing with movement issues throughout his career’s later stages.
Monfils took the first set, but couldn’t stop Sweeny from changing gears in front of his home crowd at Show Court Arena.
Monfils’ record at the Australian Open stands at 37 wins and 20 losses. His best results here came when he reached the quarterfinals in both 2016 and 2022. After his loss, the crowd gave him a standing ovation, and tournament officials gave him a chance to speak to the fans and say goodbye to the place that had been part of his tennis life since he competed as a junior in 2003.
Sweeny will now face eighth seed Ben Shelton in the second round after scoring his first Grand Slam main-draw win, with the American having a 92% chance of advancing to the next round according to PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator. Meanwhile, Svitolina has a tough third-round matchup ahead against 23rd seed Diana Shnaider, still having a 66% winning chance and advancing to the fourth round.
