"I hope Gael Monfils & I will have a couple more children" - Elina Svitolina opens up about her plans for the future

Elina Svitolina recently expressed her desire to have more children with her husband Gael Monfils in the future. The Ukrainian, who featured on the cover of Vogue Ukraine’s latest issue, also spoke about the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war and her plans regarding the growth of her foundation.

While the conflict between Russia and Ukraine raged in February 2022, Elina Svitolina and her husband Gael Monfils announced that they were expecting their first child together. Their daughter Skai was born in October that year.

The former World No. 3 spoke about the struggles and praised Gael Monfils’ efforts in making her feel at ease during the tough times.

"He tried to be always around, to surround with attention and comfort," she recalled in her interview with Vogue.

About their plans for their daughter, Svitolina said that the couple will be encouraging her to get involved in sports and take to tennis if she desires.

"But only if she wants to [take up tennis]."

Svitolina made a successful comeback this season, winning her first title as a mother at the Internationaux de Strasbourg in May, and featuring in the quarterfinals and the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon, respectively.

The 29-year-old expressed her wish to have more kids with Gael Monfils as her career nears its end, noting that while she has found success, returning to competition after a maternity break is an uphill battle.

"It takes a lot of health, and life is not limited to tennis... I hope that then [after the competitive years] Gael and I will have a couple more children.”

The player, who runs the Elina Svitolina Foundation, established to help young sports talents reach the heights of tennis, also said that she will focus on the growth of her organization in the coming years.

"And I will continue to develop my fund, because Ukrainian tennis must flourish, and my mission is to make concrete efforts for this.

"The children will be able to win grants for training, equipment and trips to competitions. And they will also have the opportunity to play, because now they have practically no matches."

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"This title is all the more special" – Gael Monfils on winning first title in Stockholm after birth of his and Elina Svitolina's daughter Skai

Gael Monfils at the 2023 Laver Cup 2023

Exactly 12 years after winning his fourth career trophy at the ATP 250 Stockholm Open in 2011, Gael Monfils was crowned the tournament champion yet again in the 2023 edition. He defeated Russia’s Pavel Kotov with a 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3 comeback in the final as his wife Elina Svitolina and his mother watched on from the stands.

This marked Monfils’ 12th career title and a first since his Adelaide triumph in January 2022. It is also worth noting that the Frenchman has now reached at least one final for 19 consecutive seasons, thus equaling Rafael Nadal in the feat.

But the Stockholm victory is especially significant for Gael Monfils — it’s his first trophy as a father. The 37-year-old, who dealt with frequent injuries and struggled with his form until recently, shared his happiness about winning in front of his wife Elina Svitolina, daughter Skai, and his mother. He tweeted on X:

"What an incredible coincidence! 12 years after winning the Stockholm tournament for the first time, I find myself once again on the top step of the podium. 12 years, 12 titles, it seems 12 is my lucky number!

"This title is all the more special because it’s the first one I’ve won as a father. Having my wife, my mother, and my little girl by my side makes this victory even more beautiful."