Tennis star Elena Svitolina has announced she and her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils, have separated.
In an Instagram post, the No. 6-ranked Ukranian detailed some of the personal toll her country's war with Russia has taken on her.
"This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to share," Svitolina wrote. "Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me. What I have rarely spoken about is what the war has done to me inside."
She also acknowledged Monfils' support her during her struggle.
"But some battles happen deep inside you, and no amount of love from someone else can win them for you," Svitolina wrote. "With time, I came to understand that I need to find my way back to myself and that I cannot do that within our marriage."
The couple
married in July of 2021 and welcomed a daughter, Skai, in October 2022.
"Skai will always come first. Our marriage is ending, but our family is not," she added. "We will always be her parents, side by side, at every step of her life."
Monfils, the former No. 6-ranked men's player, had planned to retire at the end of the season. However, his decision appears to have been moved up as the International Tennis Integrity Agency currently lists him as retired as of Oct. 5.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Elina Svitolina, Gael Monfils separate as tennis star details toll of Ukraine war
