Happy wife, happy life! #CincyTennis @Gael_Monfils talks about seeing @ElinaSvitolina happy and flourishing on and off the court ♥️
(VIDEO) "To see my wife compete & be happy on court. That’s first.": Gael Monfils says seeing wife Elina Svitolina happy on the court is 'amazing' as he moves to next round
Tennis NewsWednesday, 16 August 2023 at 16:17
Gael Monfils has said that seeing his wife Elina Svitolina happy on the court is 'amazing' as he progresses to the second round of the Cincinnati Open.
Former world No. 6 Monfils came back from a set down in his opening match at the Western & Southern Open in Ohio. The Frenchman defeated thirteenth seed Cameron Norrie 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
In an interview with Tennis Channel after the match, Monfils talked about how he turned the match at the ATP Masters 1000 event around:
"I was rushing a little bit, my shot, [I] had a very poor first serve percentage, [I] tried to up that, tried to have [a] bigger target. Condition[s] today [were] a little bit windy so I adjust a little bit my footwork and then just believe that you can win," he said.
Monfils says Svitolina comes first
However, the 36-year-old also emphasized the 'joy' he feels when he sees his wife happy on the court. The couple welcomed their daughter Skai last October, and Svitolina returned from maternity leave in March of this year.
Monfils was asked about what it was like watching his wife training to come back.
"We help each other," he said, "It’s great to see her so good, and also as I said [the] downside is I see her suffer on the practice, on the fitness room, and how much discipline and work she puts [in] to come back."
"For me, it’s just another joy. To see my wife compete and be happy on court. That’s first. As a husband, to see your wife happy [...] Enjoying herself on court, putting in the work, and then hav[ing] the results, it’s amazing," he added.
28-year-old Svitolina withdrew from the Cincinnati Open ahead of her first match, which was set to take place against former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. The Ukrainian player said that she made the decision to miss the tournament based on 'medical advice'.
This small setback comes after a successful season for Svitolina following her return to the court, including a win against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon to reach the semi-finals.
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