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Dubai Tennis: Monfils can't stop admiring his Ukrainian wife Svitolina's courage
It’s not easy to be a mum and to be an elite athlete at the same time and also to be a big patriot for her country, the French player said
- PUBLISHED: Thu 27 Feb 2025, 7:45 PM
There is something very different about Gael Monfils. At 38, the giant Frenchman is still producing moments of magic, sliding on the court to hit winners from impossible angles, drawing deafening noise from the crowds.
Monfils belongs to a rare breed of players whose CVs don’t feature Grand Slam trophies. But they are still bigger crowd-pullers than many a major winner.
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The former world number six rolled back the years with some amazing shots at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships before going down to Matteo Berrettini.
Last month he became the oldest winner of an ATP tournament breaking Roger Federer’s record.
In an interview with Khaleej Times, Monfils opened up about his love for the game and his wife, Elina Svitolina, the Ukrainian tennis star who speaks up for her people, dedicating her every victory at Grand Slams to the war-ravaged country.
Q. This was your seventh appearance at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. What is it about this tournament that you like so much?
I like the vibe of the tournament. I think the players feel very close to the fans. And that's really good. The weather is always nice. People are extremely nice here. So, it’s a great tournament and a great venue.
Q. You recently became the oldest player to win an ATP title. You also had a good run at the Australian Open last month. So, what keeps you going?
I love tennis, you know, I'm very passionate about the sport. I feel like we all are extremely lucky to be playing tennis and to be living with tennis. I think I learned a lot with tennis, about everything in life, about myself, and the ups and downs for a long period of my life. I feel like I can continue this chapter a little bit more before I close it. And also, I still enjoy myself. So I would like to keep going.
Q. And how nice is it to be playing alongside your wife in the same tournaments? Elina has won this tournament twice and she was here again last week…
It's great, I feel very, very lucky to be honest. I had never thought about these things, but it just happened in my life, and I've been fortunate for this to happen.
Q. You probably feel very proud to see her go out and play big matches in the Grand Slams, especially after becoming a mother…
She's absolutely a champion because it’s not easy to be a mum and to be an elite athlete at the same time and also to be a big patriot for her country. For me, it's, amazing to be with her. Of course, I always try to be there when she needs, but she's very a strong woman.
Q. And she is so passionate about her country and her people who are going through such a tough time…
She is very passionate about many things. And it's nice to see that in her. We all have our passion for things that we believe in. And she does all that because as I said, she is a very strong woman.
Q. Final question. We have seen Ons Jabeur's rise, it's incredible for a player from Tunisia to reach Grand Slam finals. Do you expect to see more world-class players in the future from this region?
I feel like it’s not just this place (Middle East), it's a global subject. It's a deep subject. But I'm sure you will have someone at some stage. But, of course, many small adjustments have to made. Ons is doing so well. There was also (Malek) Jaziri (former Tunisian player with a career high singles ranking of 42). But it's too big a subject to talk about in two minutes.
Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing on his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.