After divorce backlash, Elina Svitolina issues another confusing clarification

Elina Svitolina issued a second clarification on Tuesday following the backlash over her separation announcement with Gael Monfils, but her latest statement has left several questions unanswered. She cited the impact of the war in Ukraine and other personal reasons while defending Monfils against criticism and appealing for privacy.Elina Svitolina issued a second clarification following her separation announcement with Gael Monfils. Courtesy: ReutersNew Delhi,Oct 20, 2026 14:42 ISTUkrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina has issued another clarification following the backlash and confusion surrounding her announcement that her marriage to French tennis player Gael Monfils has come to an end. However, her latest statement has raised further questions rather than fully clearing up the situation.While Svitolina stressed that her decision was influenced by several personal factors, not just the war in Ukraine, she continued to withhold details about the circumstances surrounding the breakdown of their marriage. Her first clarification left room for confusion, and her second has also proved difficult to interpret, particularly as she acknowledged that Monfils had faced accusations he did not deserve.In her latest Instagram post, Svitolina explained that her initial announcement had not conveyed the complete picture. “I just want to clarify my previous post a little, because I realized that not everyone, especially my international audience, fully understood what I was trying to say,” she wrote.She added that the emotional toll of living through the war had changed her outlook on life but insisted that it was only one part of a much bigger personal decision. “In that post, I shared only one of the reasons that influenced my decision and made me reflect on my life and my future. But the truth is, there’s so much more to it, and it was never just about one thing.” WAR CHANGED HER PERSPECTIVESvitolina's initial announcement on Monday focused heavily on the psychological impact of Russia's war against Ukraine. She explained that living through the conflict had changed her outlook on life and made her reconsider her priorities.In her Tuesday clarification, Svitolina elaborated on how living through the war for more than four and a half years had affected her perspective. “When you’ve been living through the reality of war for more than 4.5 years, experiencing so many different situations, emotions, and difficult moments, you naturally start seeing life differently. Your perspective changes, your values and priorities shift, and you begin to understand what you truly want out of life,” she wrote. She further explained that her decision came after realising she could no longer continue living unhappily. “At some point, I simply realized that I didn’t want to keep living a life where I wasn’t truly happy. And believe me, coming to this decision was anything but easy.”Although these remarks offer additional context, they do not explain what other factors contributed to the separation, leaving some questions surrounding the decision unanswered.I LOVE AND RESPECT MY HUSBANDSvitolina also addressed the criticism surrounding Monfils, who has brought his professional tennis career to a close earlier than initially planned. The Frenchman had intended to retire at the end of the 2026 season, with a farewell appearance at the Paris Masters expected to be part of his final chapter. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) lists October 5, 2026, as his retirement date.Svitolina said she wanted to make it clear that her husband deserved respect despite their separation. “I love and respect my husband very much. And I will always love and appreciate him for the person he is. That’s exactly why it was so important for me to be honest, both with him and with myself,” she wrote.She also addressed the connection between their personal circumstances and Monfils' abrupt retirement, explaining that some aspects of their separation would remain private.“It’s not always possible to explain everything behind such personal and difficult decisions in a single post. And honestly, some things are simply too personal to share publicly.“That was and is my view on announcing the end of our marriage but as some of you saw, Gael’s career ended abruptly after he made the decision to stop based on our situation. Unfortunately he had many accusations thrown at him and he didn’t deserve that, so we jointly released a statement.”SEEKING PRIVACY AMID BACKLASHSvitolina concluded her clarification by asking the public to show compassion as the couple navigate a difficult period.“I just hope this helps you understand a little better what I was trying to say but please be kind and understanding, this is incredibly tough for us both right now,” she added.Svitolina and Monfils began their relationship in 2019 and married in July 2021. Their daughter, Skai, was born in October 2022. By the time of their October 2026 separation announcement, they had been together for approximately seven years and married for just over five years. Despite the end of their marriage, Svitolina has stressed that their daughter will remain their priority and that their family bond will continue.- Ends