Tennis: Svitolina and Monfils break up, the champions' marriage ends

Elina Svitolina and Gae Monfils break up. The fairytale wedding of world tennis ends, and it is the Ukrainian champion herself who announces the painful decision with an emotional post on social media: "This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to share - writes the 32-year-old from Odessa -. Everyone knows how much Ukraine means to me. What I have rarely spoken about, however, is how the war has affected me internally. Last year I told you that I needed to get away from the court because I wasn't in the right state of mind. What you don't have seen were the sleepless nights, the doubts and the feeling of slowly losing myself. Gael (who has just retired from playing tennis) has never left my hand."

"We fought this battle together - she explains -. But no love from anyone else can win it for you. I have to find my way back to myself and I can't do it within our marriage. It is the hardest truth I have ever had to face and the hardest thing to say to the person I love. Gael listened to me with a strength and dignity that I will never forget. I loved him with all my heart. Together we have built a wonderful life and we have been given the most precious gift of all: our daughter, Skai who will always come first.

Our marriage is ending, but our family is not. We will always be his parents. There is no one to blame. There are only two people who loved each other deeply and a story that is changing shape. We ask for your understanding and the space we need to heal."