"I wouldn’t want to play that long": Why Elina Svitolina doesn’t want to match Gael Monfils’ career length
WTA
For Elina Svitolina, the court is no longer the only place where she’s breaking a sweat.
Since becoming a mother to daughter Skai in October 2022, the Ukrainian tennis star has been juggling rackets and rattles, and in a candid conversation with Adidas, she opened up about the immense pressure of balancing professional sport with parenthood.
The Ukrainian star said, "After giving birth, it was really important for me to give myself time, It's not easy to be a professional player already, but then when you have a new family, it's something different. It gives you a lot of joy. Of course, a lot of weight on your shoulders. Just try to enjoy on the court, off the court and just go for it,".
Svitolina took a six-month hiatus before returning to the WTA Tour in April 2023 at the Charleston Open. Since then, she has made a strong comeback, including a recent run to the quarterfinals at the 2025 French Open, where she was ultimately stopped by world number 1 Iga Swiatek in a hard-fought match, falling 6-1, 7-5.
Despite her success on the court, Svitolina has no plans to chase titles into her late thirties, unlike her husband, French tennis veteran Gael Monfils, who is still competing at 38.
When asked whether she could imagine staying on the tour as long as Monfils has, the 30-year-old responded with a resounding “No.”
"Because obviously, I want to have more kids," she said. "I want to just have a happy retirement and not play that much.".
Svitolina described life on tour as both rewarding and draining, admitting that the loneliness and emotional toll can weigh heavily.
"For me, being on the tour for so many years, it can sometimes be difficult. It can be lonely. Sometimes it can have tough moments," she explained. "I have so many things outside of tennis. For me, I will be fine to stop earlier than Gaël’s age now.".
It is evident that she is competing not solely for trophies, but for a future that extends beyond centre courts and Grand Slam titles. With an impressive 29-9 record so far in 2025, motherhood has not hindered her performance; on the contrary, it appears to have strengthened her resolve and elevated her game.
Although she has not appeared so far during the grass court season, Svitolina is expected to return to action at Wimbledon, where she remains a fan favourite and a serious contender.
Sean Killen is a contributing journalist for both DartsNews.com and Tennisuptodate.com, where he balances his university studies with writing news updates, player features, and match reports across both sports.
Before joining the sites, Sean built experience across student and professional media. He serves as TV News Director for Cardiff University TV (CUTV), has reported for Gair Rhydd and The Cardiff Times, and produced viral news coverage that gained international attention. His reporting spans sports, breaking news, and human-interest features, and he’s worked across platforms including print, online, radio, and video.
Sean has followed the ATP and WTA tennis tours closely for years, with a growing interest in darts through the Premier League and World Championship circuits. He brings a sharp eye for storytelling, a commitment to accuracy, and a passion for making niche sports accessible to wider audiences.
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