Gael Monfils is back on the hard courts, once again showcasing the flair and tenacity that have defined his career. In a stunning first-round match at the Cincinnati Masters, the Frenchman pulled off an impressive victory against the Canadian Open champion, Alexei Popyrin, winning 7-5, 6-3. It’s a triumph that’s set Monfils on a promising path, with more accolades on the horizon as he digs deep into this demanding season. Yet, even as he fights battles on the tennis courts, there’s another, far more tender struggle unfolding off the court—one that involves his daughter, Skai.

The 37-year-old engaged in an interview with Tennis Channel to discuss a wide range of factors including his career and parenthood. When the discussion shifted towards his daughter, the star player admitted that he was inferior to her, when it came to speaking in English at least.

Monfils highlighted the multilingual talent that his daughter possesses. “So it’s quite funny, you know, it’s quite funny to see how quick uh, she, she can adapt. You will talk to her in English she will reply you in English. I will speak French she will speak French. And family of Elina will speak Ukrainian she will talk Ukrainian.” Monfils and his tennis-playing wife Elina Svitolina were blessed with a daughter in October 2022. While Skai is not even two years old, she can speak better English than her father.

Continuing further in the interview, the tennis player revealed that despite not being fluent in the languages, Skai manages to understand and converse basic things like asking for water or expressing her desire for sleep. “Her English is way better than mine already, which is amazing you know,” Monfils said further in the interview. Monfils’ love for his daughter has continued to evolve over time.

The French tennis player has always shared adorable pictures and moments that he spends with his daughter. He expressed his love for her in a heartfelt message that he shared with her on her first birthday. Sharing his immense joy to have Skai in his life, Monfils wrote, “Your smile, your laughter and even your tears gave a unique color to my daily life. You have truly enlightened and transformed my life.” The couple, meanwhile, seem to be well prepared for their daughter’s future endeavors as well. 

Elina Svitolina wishes her daughter to follow in her footsteps

Svitolina and Monfils cherish every moment they spend with their daughter. And their love is so limitless that Svitolina wishes her daughter to pursue a similar career when she grows up.

The Ukrainian WTA Star engaged in an interview with Vogue in October last year. When quizzed about their plans for Skai, Svitolina revealed that the couple would be encouraging her to pursue a career in sports, preferably tennis. However, they do not desire to force her at any cost. “But only if she wants to [take up tennis],” Svitolina clarified. The Ukrainian star seems to be enjoying her motherhood and wishes to have more children with Monfils.

“It takes a lot of health, and life is not limited to tennis… I hope that then [after the competitive years] Gael and I will have a couple more children,” she said further in the interview. But coming back to their ongoing campaign, both Svitolina and Monfils are on a winning run. It would be interesting to see if they will be able to convert this victory to something bigger.