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Elina Svitolina was thrilled to witness her husband, Gael Monfils, back in action at the 2023 Indian Wells Masters. Monfils returned to the tennis court after being absent from the ATP Tour for nearly seven months due to an injury.
Monfils' 2022 season began on a high note with a victory at the Adelaide International 1 and a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open. Unfortunately, his season was plagued by injuries and came to an abrupt halt when he sustained a foot injury during his third-round match against Jack Draper at the National Bank Open in Montreal.
The Frenchman returned to the tennis court at the Indian Wells Masters for his first-round match against Jordan Thompson. Svitolina took to Instagram on Thursday to share a photo of Monfils entering the court before his match, accompanied by a rocket emoji.
The 36-year-old's comeback did not end well, as he suffered a defeat at the hands of Thompson 3-6, 1-6.
Despite Monfils' valiant efforts, Thompson proved to be a formidable opponent, dominating the entirety of the game. Nevertheless, Monfils' return to the sport is a promising sign for his fans around the world.
Gael Monfils give updates on Elina Svitolina's return
Elina Svitolina has been away from the WTA Tour for nearly a year due to back problems and later, her pregnancy. However, her husband Gael Monfils recently revealed that the Ukrainian tennis player is highly motivated to make a comeback and is working hard to regain her fitness.
“She’s right there. She’s obviously very motivated to come back. It was actually crazy because she just gave birth and obviously she was super happy, but she really wants to get back very quickly in good shape. She wanted to feel that she can play again. She was worried because she hadn’t played for a long time. She picked up the racquet quite good. It was great," Monfils said.
According to Monfils, the former World No. 3 is exhibiting excellent mobility during her practice sessions and is gradually recovering from her back issues. Additionally, he mentioned that Svitolina will be making an announcement regarding her return to the court in the near future.
"Now she’s practising, she’s loving it. She’s starting to move a little bit more because at the beginning she couldn’t move so much. But now it’s better and I think she has some goals, so I think she will soon say what she wants to do and when she wants to come back," he added.
For now, Elina Svitolina is thoroughly enjoying her new role as a mother to their baby girl, Skai.
