The romance between tennis stars Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils captured the awe of the tennis world in recent years, and on July 16th, they got married. This came three months after they announced their engagement in April, and two years after the happy couple made their romantic relationship public. Both players have enjoyed success in their tennis careers.
Elina Svitolina, 26, is already off to a good start to her career, having won 15 WTA singles titles and 406 career match victories. She has been to the semifinals of the U.S. Open (2019), and Wimbledon (2019), along with quarterfinals appearances in the French Open (2015, 2017, and 2020), and the Australian Open (2018, and 2019). Her best finish in a major tournament came in 2018 when she won the year-end WTA Tour Finals Tournament. Her highest career ranking is world number 3 (first achieved on September 11, 2017), and her current ranking is world number 6 (as of July 12th). Svitolina’s success has allowed her to accumulate over $20 million in prize money, putting her at 19th in WTA all-time earnings.
Gael Monfils, 34, turned pro in 2004 and has gone through lots of ups and downs in his career. He has won only 10 career ATP singles titles, and 496 career match wins, but has made it to the quarterfinals or better in three of the four grand slam tournaments. Monfils made his first semifinals appearance at a grand slam event in 2008 at the French Open, but wouldn’t return to the semifinals of a slam until 2016 when he made the semifinals of the U.S. Open. He was also a quarterfinalist at the 2016 Australian Open. His highest career ranking is world number 6 (achieved on November 7, 2016), and his current ranking is world number 19 (as of July 12th). Monfils has career prize earnings of $19 million, which is 26th all-time in ATP earnings. Monfils still hasn’t won a major tournament.
One week after Svitolina and Monfils tied the knot, the newly-weds represented their countries at the Tokyo Olympics. Svitolina, who has experience representing Ukraine in the Fed Cup and Hopman Cup, took home the Bronze Medal in the singles event. The Bronze is the best result for Svitolina in the Olympics, having previously been a quarterfinalist in the 2016 Rio Games. Her Bronze Medal is also Ukraine’s first medal in tennis at the Olympics. Monfils’ run in the Olympics was not a success, as he lost in the first round representing France.
Being able to compete in the Olympics was undoubtedly a good moment to share for Svitolina, and Monfils, and the first of many good moments to come for the happy couple.
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