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Monfils retired because of divorce, Svitolina confirms amid backlash

World No. 6 tennis player Elina Svitolina has clarified that her divorce from husband Gaël Monfils was the primary reason for his abrupt retirement from professional tennis.

Monfils, 40, had announced his withdrawal from the ATP Tour on October 5, dropping out of the Paris Masters and an exhibition match in Lille against fellow former players Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. His final competitive appearance came at the US Open, where he lost in the second round to Learner Tien at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Svitolina faced backlash online after revealing the separation, with fans criticizing her for disrupting Monfils’s planned farewell in Paris. She later addressed the controversy, explaining that her decision stemmed from a broader reassessment of her life amid ongoing personal challenges, including the prolonged impact of war in her home region.

Monfils’s retirement followed speculation in French media about the circumstances behind his departure, which he denied were tied to any lack of integrity. The couple released a joint statement to address the accusations directed at Monfils, though his career ended without the ceremonial send-off he had anticipated.

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