Gael Monfils Snubs Wife Elina Svitolina in Emotional Farewell Speech

Gael Monfils delivered an emotional farewell speech at the Paris Masters on Tuesday night.

He centered the entire ceremony around his four-year-old daughter, Skai.

He did not mention his wife, Elina Svitolina, even once.

The omission was conspicuous.

It came just weeks after the couple announced their separation following more than five years of marriage.

Monfils and Svitolina released a joint statement on social media on October 19 confirming their divorce.

The former world No. 6 had already quietly retired from tennis on October 5.

He informed the International Tennis Integrity Agency of his decision at the start of the month.

His retirement was abrupt.

Monfils later admitted that the breakdown of his marriage made it impossible to train or even pick up a racket.

The Paris Masters ceremony was scheduled as a proper send-off for the French tennis icon.

Monfils had been expected to play one final match in front of his home fans.

Instead, he appeared on court between the two night-session matches to say goodbye.

He spoke in French, addressing the crowd directly.

His speech was translated for international viewers by commentator Mikey Perera.

Monfils opened by thanking the Parisian public for 22 years of support.

He called it “22 great years that I couldn’t have possibly dreamed of.”

He thanked his parents, his coaches, and the tournament organizers.

Then he turned to his daughter.

“My little girl, Skai, wanted me to talk about her,” Monfils said.

“She told me, ‘Daddy, you don’t talk about me enough!’ And she’s only four years old!”

The crowd laughed.

Monfils continued, sharing a story about Skai’s ambitions.

“She asked me why people kept coming up to say hello to me, and I explained that it’s because Daddy is very kind, and that she should be kind, too,” he said.

“She replied that she would be very kind as well. Then, she told me she wanted to be a champion.”

Monfils said he asked her what she wanted to be a champion of.

“She said, ‘Everything!’” he recalled.

“I told her she’d have to choose, and the first thing she blurted out was, ‘I want to be a champion at talking!’ Then she reconsidered and said she’d like to be a tennis champion, so she’ll surely have the right aptitude for that.”

The former world No. 6 then became more emotional.

“Skai, I dedicate this farewell to you,” he said.

“It took place in Paris, on November 3, 2026.”

He added a detail that carried significant weight.

“As a side note, today marks exactly eight years since I first got together with your mom (Elina), so it’s a very symbolic date for our family.”

It was the only reference to Svitolina in the entire speech.

He did not say her name.

He did not thank her.

He did not acknowledge their marriage.

Monfils then turned back to Skai.

“I hope with all my heart that you become a champion in whatever you choose to pursue,” he said.

“And I truly hope that, one day, you’ll be able to play here in Paris.”

The crowd applauded.

Monfils wiped his eyes.

He had admitted earlier that he was “scared” to show up for the ceremony.

In an Instagram post the following day, he wrote: “These last few weeks have been emotionally draining, and I didn’t dare come and see you all.”

He described the night as “magical” and thanked fans for their support during a difficult period.

The split between Monfils and Svitolina was first made public on October 19.

Both players posted the same joint statement on their social media accounts.

The statement did not give a specific reason for the divorce.

Svitolina later faced backlash for her initial post about the breakup.

Monfils defended her publicly, saying she had been through enough.

He cited the emotional toll of the Russia-Ukraine war on Svitolina, who is Ukrainian.

The couple got engaged in April 2021.

They married in July of the same year.

Their daughter Skai was born on October 15, 2022.

Monfils and Svitolina have both said they intend to co-parent Skai.

Monfils’ retirement ends a 22-year professional career.

He won 13 ATP singles titles.

He reached a career-high ranking of world No. 6.

He was known for his athleticism, showmanship, and entertaining style of play.

He never won a Grand Slam singles title.

During his speech, he acknowledged that fact.

“I haven’t won a Grand Slam,” he said.

“I’ve lost matches that really hurt, and my body has often told me to stop.”

“But what you’ve given me, no trophy could ever have given me.”

He thanked the French public for supporting him despite the lack of a major title.

France has not produced a men’s Grand Slam singles champion since Yannick Noah won the French Open in 1983.

Monfils came closer than most.

He reached the semifinals of the French Open in 2008 and the US Open in 2016.

He also made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

His farewell ceremony included tribute videos from fellow players.

Many of them called him one of the most entertaining players in tennis history.

Monfils said he was at peace with his career.

“When I see pictures of what I’ve accomplished, I always tried my best,” he said.

“I’m very at peace with what I’ve done. I’ve said, Wow, what a road I traveled.”

He closed by thanking his parents one more time.

“My mum is with my daughter. My father is here,” he said.

“I first came here in 2000, played for the first time in 2004. Now I’m here in 2026 and it’s thanks to you, mum and dad.”

The ceremony lasted about 15 minutes.

It was broadcast live on the tournament’s world feed.

Social media reaction was immediate.

Fans noticed the absence of Svitolina’s name within minutes.

Some called it heartbreaking.

Others said it was understandable given the recent separation.

A few noted that Monfils had chosen to focus entirely on his daughter.

Skai was the emotional center of the evening.

Monfils made sure of that.

He told the crowd that Skai had asked him why so many people kept coming up to him.

He explained that it was because he was kind.

She said she wanted to be kind too.

Then she told him she wanted to be a champion.

Monfils smiled as he recalled the conversation.

He said he hoped she would one day play tennis in Paris.

The moment was tender.

It was also the only family moment Monfils chose to share.

Svitolina has not publicly commented on the speech.

She posted an emotional message about Monfils earlier in the week.

The tone of that message was notably different from her initial breakup post.

Tennis365 described it as having “a different tone compared to her ‘brutal’ break-up post.”

The Daily Express reported that Monfils “fails to mention Elina Svitolina in heartbreaking retirement speech.”

The omission has become the dominant storyline of the ceremony.