Divorce is no crime… Tennis star couple’s 'marital breakdown' draws flood of malicious comments; husband finally speaks out, "Please stop the attacks on my ex-wife"

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As a star couple who represented the world tennis scene announced their breakup, the husband stepped forward to act as a 'shield' after excessive criticism and malicious online comments continued against his ex-wife.

French veteran tennis star Gaël Monfils (40) issued a lengthy statement on his official social media account on the 24th (Korean time), reconfirming his separation from Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina (32) and appealing for an end to malicious attacks targeting his ex-wife.

Monfils began, "For a long time, Elina and I have felt great joy in sharing our story and the image of our family with you all." He continued, "At the same time, we have also shared trials as individuals. I faced consecutive injuries and self-doubt, while Elina endured the destruction and pain of a war that tore her homeland apart." He added, "We have now decided to go our separate ways. As we did in the past, we have agreed to share this difficult trial honestly with you, our fans."

The decisive reason Monfils personally posted the message, even amid the pain of their marital breakdown, was the indiscriminate malicious comments that poured toward Svitolina after the breakup announcement. Previously, when Svitolina candidly revealed that war was behind her decision to separate, some netizens used this as a pretext to hurl harsh criticism.

In response, Monfils expressed deep regret and actively defended his ex-wife. "Anyone who has experienced the end of a relationship knows that a breakup is a minefield tangled with complex and confusing emotions," Monfils said. "Elina did not have an obligation to explain herself to anyone, yet she did her best to speak honestly and sincerely about the reasons. However, many people are pouring out criticism—rude at best, malicious at worst—claiming her explanation is imperfect."

Although they have returned to being strangers, his respect and affection for the partner he shared years with remained unchanged. "Elina and I are no longer a couple, but we are still one family," Monfils said. "My heart is torn apart, but I will be grateful forever for the support and love she has shown me. She was the one who gave me the courage to stand back up when I wanted to quit tennis, and she is also the one who gave me my daughter Sky, the greatest victory of my life," he conveyed with heartfelt gratitude.

He continued, "Countless things happen behind the curtain of a relationship that can never be fully explained in a single social media post. Elina has her own battles to fight, and I respect her choices." He emphasized, "As parents raising a child together, we will continue to deeply cherish and support each other."

Finally, Monfils stated, "Before being 'Gaël Monfils' and 'Elina Svitolina,' we are simply fragile humans who do our best despite our imperfections." He urged, "Please remember that we are all just human beings named 'Gaël' and 'Elina.'"

Monfils, with 12 career titles on the Men’s Professional Tennis (ATP) Tour, and Svitolina, boasting 17 career titles on the Women’s Professional Tennis (WTA) Tour, officially acknowledged their romance in 2019 before tying the knot in 2021. They had been regarded as a 'tennis power couple' loved both on and off the court after welcoming a daughter in 2022, but they have ultimately gone their separate ways, leaving fans of world tennis with a sense of regret.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original