UTS Grand Finalist La Monf shares “Three lessons from my wife, Elina”
The Frenchman is competing in the UTS Grand Final, taking place at ExCel London this weekend, as he seeks to close out his comeback season by taking the UTS crown
Gael Monfils has outlined three life lessons he has learnt from wife Elina Svitolina over the past couple of years.
‘La Monf‘ – as he is affectionately known on the UTS Tour – is currently competing in the UTS Grand Final, taking place in London this weekend.
He will be taking on Alexander ‘Bublik Enemy’ Bublik in the first of his group matches at the UTS Grand Final, an event that is so high-energy it requires the very biggest of tennis characters to adequately fill its feverish arena. Both Monfils and Bublik fit that billing perfectly.
Before he steps out into the cauldron that has been temporarily erected inside London’s ExCel Centre, however, ‘La Monf’ had some softer words about wife Elina, and the ways she has shaped his mindset, outlook and philosophy on both tennis and life.
“there is so much value in taking a stance”
Writing on his personal blog site, the Frenchman explains how witnessing Svitolina deal with the pressures of the invasion of her homeland Ukraine has taught him invaluable life lessons.
“There is so much value in taking a stance,” writes Monfils.
“It’s tempting to always take the middle ground and stay neutral, not risk offending anyone. And in many cases, that can be the wise thing to do. But sometimes—when it really matters to you—taking a strong position is the most powerful thing you can do, if only for yourself.
“Standing firm for what you believe definitely opens you up to criticism, but in the end, it gives you a sense of integrity and alignment with oneself. That’s a lesson in courage that I admire so much.”
Svitolina has been steadfast, calm and fully explanatory of her reasons for – and commitment to – not shaking hands with Russian and Belarusian players while the war in Ukraine continues.
comparmentalisation and responsibility
“Separate your struggles from yourself,” is the next lesson Monfils has learnt from his wife.
“From motherhood, to our respective comebacks, to the pressures of public life, to her deeply personal connection to the situation in Ukraine, Elina’s shown me the art of compartmentalizing without over-identifying.
“Her ability to keep a clear head in the chaos is amazing. One way I try to apply this to my own life is by not taking anything personally: if someone criticizes my game, or writes something rude about me online, I remind myself it’s not about me. It’s so simple, but it helps take the sting out of a stressful situation.”
Finally, ‘La Monf’ shares that “responsibility can be as rewarding as risk.”
“Particularly throughout my recovery period, and the first year with our daughter, Elina has shown me that ‘slowing down’ doesn’t have to mean ‘missing out’.
“I’ve learned that when you do anything with enough attention—even the seemingly boring, everyday stuff—it becomes something fulfilling. As a player, husband, and father, I’ve come to realize that being responsible is not just important, but actually pretty cool.”
After a year in which both Monfils and Svitolina made such remarkable comebacks to tour life after becoming parents, 2024 promises another bright chapter in their respective careers.
Before that, however, ‘La Monf’ has one piece of unfinished business to finalise before he ends his 2023 season.
The UTS Grand Final will be the Frenchman’s final event of the year, and in a tournament that rewards charisma, energy and outrageous shot-making as much as anything else, this could well be his tournament to lose.
