Elina Svitolina is currently having a dream run at the 2025 AO! She has already clinched three wins in Melbourne and now she’s looking forward to keeping his winning run intact in this mega event. Can she beat Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova in the fourth round? Time will tell! However, shortly after her impressive victory against Jasmine Paolini, Svitolina was seen admitting she was “inspired” by her husband Gael Monfils’ performance before her match. Inspirations are plenty for this 30-year-old star! Who else, apart from Monfils has helped her in making her dreams come true?

Well, behind every successful athlete is a supportive and influential family and Elina Svitolina’s tennis journey started with the unwavering support of her parents, Olena Svitolina and Mikhaylo Svitolina. Her talent was first recognized by businessman Yuriy Sapronov when he saw her play at one of his children’s tournaments. He was so impressed with Elina Svitolina’s talent that he offered to invest in her training at a tennis club in Kharkiv, which was around 350 miles from her home city, Odesa.

Her family decided to move to Kharkiv to pursue her coaching, but her mother couldn’t immediately join her due to her own career as a professional bowls player. She initially had to go alone to her practice sessions. However, two months later, her mother finally joined her. Olena Svitolina a former rower, played a significant role in shaping up her daughter’s athletic journey. Her first-hand experience as an athlete contributed to the understanding and support she provided to Elina Svitolina right from a very young age.

On the other hand, her father, Mikhaylo Svitolin was a former wrestler. He brought his own passion for sports into the family dynamic. Svitolin had a background in tennis administration and as a result, he played a major role in nurturing Elina Svitolina’s talent and guiding her in the early phases of her career. He even took up the coaching role for her daughter and provided her with valuable insights and encouragement during the formative years of her career. Her father’s support and belief in her abilities helped her lay a strong foundation for her future achievements.

Both of her parents faced the delicate balance of fostering their daughter’s talent while ensuring she had a well-rounded childhood. They instilled in her the values of work ethic, hard work, discipline, and perseverance. Even her grandmother played a major role in her growing up. She used to take Elina Svitlona to her dance classes and gymnastics and even loyally watched her compete on Ukraine’s local amateur tennis circuit. Svitolina also has an elder brother, Yulian. 

She once revealed that during her childhood, she noticed that her brother was getting a lot of attention for playing tennis and this is what eventually inspired her to take up the spot to regain some of her father’s attention. Elina Svitolina started playing at the age of 5 and seeing this tennis super-mom go strong even at the age of 30, reminds her fans of the incredible contributions of her family in her tennis journey.

Elina Svitolina said her family struggled to make ends meet during her childhood days before she became a poster girl for the Ukrainian sport. Even during the war, her parents had to leave their home and escape somewhere in Europe. So, challenges were plenty for Elina Svitolina and her family, but they managed to overcome each and every obstacle that came their way.

As Elina Svitolina continues to make waves in the tennis world, her family remains an unwavering source of support and inspiration. Her story serves as an inspiration to millions of aspiring tennis players. Talking about inspiration and her family members, who can we forget the invaluable contributions of Gael Monfils in her life?

The incredible love story of Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils

Both these tennis started their relationship back in 2019. After that in April 2021, the couple announced their engagement, and then a few months later they tied the knot. In October 2022 Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils welcomed their first child, Skai. How did they meet each other though? Well, there is an interesting story behind this!

We’ve seen both of them heaping praise on each other for their incredible support over the years. Elina Svitolina once said, “Gael has been here every step of the way. He is a huge support. Obviously, he sees that I’m not in the best mood every day. There are ups and downs, so I’m really thankful for his support. I know it’s difficult for him to see me sad.“

Then on the other hand, there was a time when Gael Monfils wasn’t even sure whether or not to continue his tennis career. At that time, Svitolina stood beside him like a rock and now he has recently defeated 2024 US Open finalist, Taylor Fritz, in the R3 of the 2025 AO to book his spot for the next round. Shortly after this emphatic victory, the 38-year-old Frenchman was asked about his priorities in life. Does Monfils keep winning a Grand Slam title at the top of his priority list?

“Win? No! To be honest with you, it’s not even a dream to win the tournament. My dream is to be old and healthy! I tell you my dream is to have an unbelievable family! Tennis, it’s cool! Of course, you want a gold dream, whatever. But my dream is out there,” said Gael Monfils. Monfils has time and again revealed how proud he was to see Elina Svitolina’s strong comeback after giving birth in 2022, but even the Frenchman has been doing some wonders in his tennis career recently. What a year it has been for this 38-year-old so far! He won the ASB Classic a few weeks ago. How far do you think he can go at the 2025 AO?