“Welcome to the world, my little princess SKAÏ ❤️,” wrote an emotional Gaël Monfils on October 15, 2022 when he and Elina Svitolina welcomed their first daughter Skai. Since then, the couple has occasionally shared glimpses of little Skaï, always keeping her face private. However, after giving birth, Svitolina made a powerful return to the court at the Charleston Open in April 2023, steadily climbing back to form. Though she recently faced heartbreak with an SF loss at the Madrid Open, a sweet Papa Monfils-Skaï moment she shared recently reminded everyone that for Elina, motherhood, complete with love, laughter, and healing, is the ultimate triumph!

To be honest, Gaël Monfils has never shied away from expressing his boundless love for his daughter, especially for prioritizing family above all. A perfect reflection of this came during the AO a few months ago, when Monfils made it clear to reporters that his dreams go far beyond tennis victories. “My dream is to be old with a lot of kids and healthy. My dream is to have an unbelievable family,” he shared with heartfelt honesty. That sentiment echoes throughout his life, as he continues to embrace fatherhood with open arms and sincere joy.

Even time to time, Monfils and Elina Svitolina have given fans touching glimpses of their family life. One memorable moment came last December, when Svitolina posted an IG reel of a sweet breakfast shared with little Skaï in their kitchen. The reel ended with a loving hug, framed by a festive photo of mother and daughter to a grand Christmas tree surrounded by gifts. And more recently, Monfils himself has been enjoying time off the court, while the 30-year-old WTA ace is capturing precious father-daughter moments to celebrate the beauty of parenthood.

On May 3rd, Svitolina melted hearts once again by sharing two heartwarming photos of her daughter Skaï on IG stories. In the first snapshot, the adventurous two-year-old is seen hanging upside down from a rope, clutching it firmly with her feet, a playful display of strength and spirit. In the second image, the little one is enjoying skateboard time with her father, Gaël Monfils, who lovingly pushes her along from behind. The moment is soundtracked by the tender song “Art of Life,” with a red heart emoji floating at the top, perfectly capturing the joy of this everyday magic.

Even during her first birthday in October 2023, Skaï captured the hearts of her tennis star parents and fans alike. The daughter of tennis power couple was celebrated with emotional tributes. “Every moment spent by your side reminds me how lucky I am to have you. Your smile, your laughter and even your tears gave a unique color to my daily life. You have truly enlightened and transformed my life,” wrote Monfils in French on X. 

Svitolina also shared her love on IG, writing, “The sweetest little girl. May your day be filled with laughter, joy, and lots of cake. You bring so much happiness to our lives, and we are grateful for every moment with you.”

And just when you think the tale of Skaï couldn’t get any sweeter, proud Mama Elina Svitolina recently shared an adorable ‘tennis-themed’ update about her two-year-old, proving the legacy may already be in motion.

Elina Svitolina shares her daughter’s tennis racket preference

Elina Svitolina’s comeback to professional tennis after becoming a mother has been nothing short of inspiring to the WTA lineup. Not long after returning to the tour, she clinched her 1st title as a mom at the ‘Internationaux de Strasbourg’.  Just days ago, Svitolina showcased her sharp form again by claiming her 18th career title in Rouen, entering the Madrid Open riding high on momentum. On April 25, the 17th seed breezed past Britain’s Sonay Kartal with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory in the 2nd round.

And in her post-match update, Svitolina delighted fans with a wholesome glimpse into her daughter Skaï’s growing curiosity about tennis. “She’s very good. She loves to play tennis. She has her small racket, but she prefers the big one — either mine or Gael’s. So, yeah, she’s on the court trying to hit some balls. It’s fun to watch her grow, and she’s so much into sports. She loves football and just tries to really play a lot of different games,” said Svitolina with pride.

As for how little Skaï views her tennis-playing parents, though? “She’s watching matches, she’s watching us play. She thinks that the only thing we do is play tennis, which is probably like that. But it’s interesting to see her grow every single week. It’s always something different, something new. She’s now talking a lot. And, yeah, it’s interesting to discover it all with her,” the Ukrainian added warmly.

With two Rome titles already under her belt from 2017 to 2018, and a sizzling 9-0 start to this year’s clay-court swing, Svitolina’s SF finish in Madrid shows she’s in serious contention. Could she recapture her Roman glory one more time before stepping into the Parisian spotlight at Roland-Garros? Time and form are on her side!