WATCH: Elina Svitolina and husband Gael Monfils share a sweet moment after her Citi Open victory
Elina Svitolina and her husband Gael Monfils shared a sweet moment in the tunnel after the Ukrainian beat Victoria Azarenka in Washington on Monday.
Svitolina locked horns with Azarenka at the Citi Open, days after her Wimbledon victory over the Belarusian. Their last encounter had its own controversy as Azarenka was booed after she did not shake hands with Svitolina. The Ukrainian, just like her compatriots, has constantly maintained her stance of not shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian players due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Svitolina kicked off her Citi Open campaign against Azarenka. After a shaky start, she beat the two-time Grand Slam champion 7-6(2), 6-4 in under two hours to book a place in the second round of the tournament.
On her way through the tunnel following her win, Elina Svitolina met her husband Gael Monfils, who was heading out to play his own match. The couple greeted each other and shared a kiss before heading in their own ways.
"Couple goals," the caption of the video read.
Couple goals 🥰
Husband and wife @Gael_Monfils & @ElinaSvitolina meet in the tunnel after Svitolina's win in Washington!
#MubadalaCitiOpen pic.twitter.com/pWuARHAMGi
Svitolina and Monfils tied the knot on July 16, 2021, a few months after getting engaged. In October last year, the couple embraced parenthood for the first time after Svitolina gave birth to a baby daughter, Skai. The couple often post pictures of their personal lives on social media.
Elina Svitolina reflects on her healthy relationship with husband Gael Monfils
Elina Svitolina has always been open about her relationship with Gael Monfils and how the Frenchman has been supportive of her. At a press conference, the Ukrainian reflected on her healthy relationship with her husband.
Shedding some light on their relationship, the former World No. 3 said that the two are not afraid to tell each other things, even if it might hurt them. She also highlighted the importance of doing so.
"We are not scared to tell each other some things that might hurt each other. I think this is very important that you receive this information as an advice for your best and not like someone tries to hurt someone," she said.
Svitolina added that she also asks for Monfils' opinion, especially after a match, as he is able to provide a different perspective.
"Sometimes I can ask him his opinion, what he thought about the match that I played or he asks me things, you know. So we are just there for each other. You know, sometimes maybe you don't see the same things with your coach, so, you know, you also want, like, a second opinion on few things," she said.
Elina Svitolina will next take on either Elise Mertens or Daria Kasatkina in the second round of the Citi Open.