The 2023 French Open ended sooner than expected for veteran Frenchman Gael Monfils. In the first round of the tournament, Monfils produced one of the most thrilling experiences when he faced Argentine Sebastian Baez. The duo went through a grueling four-hour encounter, 18 minutes beyond the stroke of midnight. The match finished on a bittersweet note — Monfils emerged triumphant but at the cost of spraining his left wrist, ending his campaign at Roland Garros. Now, his wife and WTA star, Elina Svitolina, has come up with a crucial update about his condition.

In a press conference, Svitolina provided an update on Monfils’ recovery. She also shared what it means for her to have Monfils’ support, which proved crucial for her in her second-round victory against Australian wildcard Storm Hunter.

Monfils has already started doing things to speed up his recovery, claims Elena Svitolina

Monfils’ wife, Elina Svitolina, who herself has had a stellar French Open campaign, cleared the air around the veteran French tennis star’s current condition. In her press conference, Svitolina remarked, “His wrist is not great. It will take a couple of weeks to recover.” She further added, “Hopefully the recovery will go well. He has already started doing some stuff to speed it up, to be ready for Wimbledon hopefully.” 

Tracing his form back to 2022, a heel surgery ahead of the 2022 French Open meant that Monfils had to miss out on not just the French Open, but the entirety of the grass court season as well. After successful rehabilitation, Monfils made his comeback at the Montreal Masters. However, after sustaining a foot injury in Montreal, Monfils decided to go on a hiatus.

In 2023, Monfils returned to the tennis court after spending four months on the sidelines. However, his return to the Tour didn’t yield a victory until his win against Baez in this year’s French Open. So, another injury-forced withdrawal would have been a bitter pill to swallow for the 36-year-old.

Svitolina appreciates husband Monfils’ presence during her matches

The 2023 French Open was undoubtedly special for Monfils. After all, it marked his first Grand Slam appearance in over a year. However, it’s just as special for Svitolina. The Ukrainian also returned to Grand Slam action at the Stade Roland Garros after giving birth to a baby girl in October 2022.

Svitolina was at the top of women’s tennis before her pregnancy forced her to stay on the sidelines since March 2022. She returned to action in April at the Charleston Open and, unsurprisingly, looked quite rusty. However, since then, Svitolina has consistently improved her game and right now, she looks close to getting back to her very best. Ahead of her French Open appearance, Svitolina won the Internationaux de Strasbourg.

‘She’s My Role Model’ – Gael Monfils Says Elina Svitolina’s Resilience Inspires Him

During her tense encounter in Paris, Monfils was in attendance cheering her on. In her press conference, Svitolina said, “For sure it’s great to see him there, supporting, and, you know, getting nervous for me as well”. She went on to state how “special” it is for her to have a supportive husband like Monfils.

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