“Would be a lie if I tell you it's easy” - Gael Monfils opens up on “challenging” experience of traveling with wife Elina Svitolina & daughter Skai

French tennis professional Gael Monfils recently said that traveling to different tournaments with his wife Elina Svitolina and baby daughter Skai was a challenging experience.

Monfils and Svitolina are currently competing in Melbourne at the 2024 Australian Open. Monfils advanced to the second round by defeating Germany's Yannick Hanfmann in straight sets on Monday, January 15. Svitolina, on her part, cleared the first-round hurdle with a 6-2, 6-2 win over home-favorite Taylah Preston.

The duo's one-year-old daughter, Skai, has also accompanied them to the Grand Slam Down Under.

During his post-match press conference, Monfils spoke to the press about the logistical hardships while touring with the family.

"Yeah. I guess you know. It would be a lie if I tell you it's easy. It's challenging. It's a different, a different balance. As you just mentioned, we are two players, so it's challenging."

The Frenchman further weighed in on receiving assistance from his and Svitolina's mothers.

"Yeah, it's challenging, and we are very lucky to have help from moms, from nanny. So, you know, we are learning, as well. It's our first long trip. You know, so far I feel like we manage it well, but I won't lie to you, it's challenging, yeah," Gael Monfils added.

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Gael Monfils: "We have a life, and in life, people have kids, it's beautiful to see some woman athletes to actually manage both"

Gael Monfils

During the press conference, Gael Monfils further touched upon the human aspects of the life of a sportsperson. He asserted that both competing and raising kids were integral parts of an athlete's life.

"I think it [having kids] is part of life, you know. As I say always, you know, we have a beautiful sport but people forget that we are human beings. You know, that's our sport, our job, if you want."

The Frenchman also spoke highly of the women athletes who were excelling in both aspects.

"But we have a life, and in life, people have kids, and it's beautiful to see some woman athletes to actually manage both. So, you know, I think it's great."

Monfils will next take on Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday, January 18. It will be his first duel with the Argentinian, who went past Britain's Andy Murray in the opener on Monday.

Monfils' wife Elina Svitolina will take on Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova. Svitolina holds the upper hand over Tomova in the head-to-head; she beat the Bulgarian in the year 2022 at the Monterrey Open.