“The laughter of a child makes every corner smile.” It’s an unparalleled joy to start or expand one’s family. And many tennis stars usually take that route only after marking a successful end to their professional tennis careers. However, what do you do when both parents are international tennis stars? Does one of them take a step back in their career to adjust parenthood into a tennis routine? Gael Monfils may have an answer to it, as his wife, Elina Svitolina, goes through the Elena Rybakina test in the quarterfinals of the grass slam.

The tennis power couple, Monfils and Svitolina, are proud parents of their soon-to-be 2-year-old toddler, Skai. And while many of the tennis fans would have expected either of the parents to take a sabbatical if not retirement, contrary to everyone’s conventional beliefs, the couple has found a way to manage both, despite their hectic schedule. In an interview with the Athletic, Monfils spoke about donning a father’s hat as he racquets his way through the tennis circuit.

Opening up about the tradeoffs of being a parent and loving the sport, he said, “It’s not easy, but we try to make it as simple as possible.” Certainly, making it complex would make it difficult for the parents to balance their careers. However, a toddler’s need for attention is not small especially when the parent is on tour, and technology certainly comes in handy, as Monfils revealed, “Try to Facetime her as much as I can.”

But nothing beats the playtime in a father’s arms, and Monfils agrees. When he is home, he has just one priority: “I try to spend as much time as possible with her.” What about when he is out on a long tour? Monfils has an answer to it. Skai gets a chance to see her father play, as he chooses to “take her with me, and I try to make her my priority.” The French player is way above trying as his every moment, if not tennis goes to his daughter!

With over 2 decades of experience on the court, Monfils not only steps up to be the best father for their daughter but also a husband for Svitolina. While, the most successful couple in the tennis circuit entered the Wimbledon Championships together, Grigor Dimitrov knocked Monfils out in the third round, as Svitolina moved to the R16 after defeating the favorite, Ons Jabeur. However, after the win, Svitolina was grateful for her lucky charm sitting in her corner. 

Svitolina is all hearts for her ‘always supporting’ husband

It’s not easy to fulfill every role that a person takes up with the utmost perfection. However, it seems Monfils has mastered the art, as he does not leave many spaces to point out. A hands-on father to their daughter, an entertainer and fierce competitor on the court, and a supportive husband to Svitolina. After her win over last year’s Wimbledon finalist, Jabeur, Svitolina was all hearts as she appreciated the ‘special’ moment.

She said, “With Gael’s support today, it’s really amazing to have him next to me. Always supporting. Always being there for me. It’s special.” It was a bittersweet moment for the couple, as Monfils couldn’t carry on his campaign further after crashing out. But the French tennis star chose to support and celebrate his wife as she takes the challenge head-on.

Would his charm work today, as Elina Svitolina faces the 2022 Wimbledon Champion, who seems to be in a blazing form?