Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils' relationship was no less than a fairy tale story. Elina was in a relationship cricketer, Reece Topley, but broke up with him after falling in love with Gael.
Elina Svitolina's love story with a French Tennis player, Gael Monfils, is no less than a fairytale. It wasn't just a chance encounter but a divine intervention. The couple who have known each other professionally but never got a chance to talk off the court, met out of the blue in 2018 in Paris, and got struck by Cupid. However, Elina Svitolina was in a relationship with a cricket player.
Like all good things happen in Paris, Gael and Elina's love story also brewed in Paris. While Elina is from Ukraine, Gael is from France. The couple met when Gael took the initiative and asked her to join him and his friends for drinks after she won the WTA Finals in 2018. In a 2019 interview, Elina revealed how she fell in love with Gael. She stated that she had known him for quite some time, but there was very little communication, as he had known that she was in a long-term relationship.
Elina revealed that in 2018, she was celebrating her win with her friends in Paris and posted a photo when Gael texted her. They met, and there was no looking back. She was quoted as saying:
"I had known Gael for quite some time, as we constantly participated in the same tournaments. But there was very little communication: he knew that I was in a long relationship. At the end of 2018, after winning the final tournament [in Singapore], I went to celebrate with my Paris friends. I posted a photo on Instagram, and Gael wrote to me. We met and could no longer part."
The couple got married in the mountains. After a couple of years of dating, Elina and Gael got engaged and shared glimpses of the same on Instagram on April 3, 2021. Elina flaunted her three-stone emerald-cut engagement ring. Within a few months, they got married on July 16, 2021. Monfils and Svitolina got married. They wore a custom outfit by Abloh and his team. For Elina, it was her dream dress as it feature a white pantsuit with a sheer, cascading purple skirt around the waist.
Elina and Gael were blessed with a daughter in 2022. However, within a few months, Elina returned to court, leaving her husband surprised at her strength. He praised her for her comeback after delivering their first child. They are the few married couples who hold singles titles in the same tournament at the same time. Elina got the 2026 ASB Classic Women's Singles title in Auckland, New Zealand. On the other hand, Gael backed the title at the 2025 Auckland men's singles. Elina once talked about the coincidence. She said:
"Before the tournament, he told me it would be amazing if we both won the same tournament. He was not sure if this ever happened before. Of course, I had it always in the back of my mind. It really motivated me but also [created] a little bit of pressure."
In a letter to her daughter, Elina talked about her relationship with Gael. She recalled their first meeting and revealed that she doesn't know if it was their official date, but she discussed her life plans, wanting kids and then returned to the court. She revealed that it was meant to be a quick coffee, but ended up spending the entire date as they walked around Paris and got to know each other. Elina revealed that Gael even brought a deck of cards and showed a magic trick which was not so common.
What do you think about Elina and Gael's beautiful love story?
Next Read: 'Love Island USA' Season 8, Ariana Madix Walks Fans Through The Revamped Villa Before Premiere