Elina Svitolina shares adorable glimpse of cuddling her and Gael Monfils' daughter Skai after Madrid Open exit, shows off toddler's bond with pet dog

Elina Svitolina has offered a heartwarming glimpse into her time with her and Gael Monfils' baby daughter Skai, following her exit from the 2024 Madrid Open.

Svitolina had a disappointing outing at the WTA 1000 event in Madrid, suffering a 6-3, 7-5 loss to Sara Sorribes Tormo in her opening match. Monfils also exited the tournament early, losing 6-4, 6-2 to Luciano Darderi in the first round.

The Ukrainian licked her wounds by spending quality time with her daughter Skai, affectionately cuddling the toddler and pressing a kiss on her head. She also posted a picture showcasing Skai's adorable bond with their pet dog.

Svitolina's Instagram stories

Elina Svitolina will undoubtedly be glad to be with her daughter, considering her husband, Gael Monfils, has previously opened up about the challenges of being away from Skai for extended periods.

Earlier this season, the Frenchman opened up about the difficulties of being apart from his daughter for a month, saying that he and Svitolina are fortunate to be able to video call Skai and stay connected as she experiences new things.

"It's hard. I'm going to Dubai next week so it'll really be four weeks – we say four weeks not to say a month! – that I haven't seen her, and it's a long time at that age when she discovers lots of things. We're very lucky that FaceTime exists, but it doesn't replace anything," Monfils said during the Qatar Open.

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"She will have a lot of pressure" - Gael Monfils on why he won't push and his and Elina Svitolina's daughter Skai to pursue tennis

Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils

During the 2024 Miami Open, Elina Svitolina had shared a glimpse of her daughter Skai wielding two tennis rackets as she got "game ready" to watch her father Gael Monfils in action.

However, despite her apparent budding interest in tennis, Monfils recently admitted that he doesn't want her to pursue a career in the sport, highlighting the "sacrifices" involved in becoming a professional tennis player.

"Please not (on Skai potentially pursuing a tennis career). But I tell everybody it's fine guys. There's a lot of sacrifice. No, the thing is a little bit different for our daughter. If she wants to play, she will play," he said.

The Frenchman also shared that he wouldn't push her to take up tennis, especially considering the immense pressure she would face from the outset due to his and Svitolina's success in the sport.

"I won't push it. The thing is because she will have a lot of pressure from the beginning, which is tough because she's the daughter of Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils," he added.