Svitolina surges on but watches husband Monfils fall short as ageing body falters
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Supporting a spouse courtside is deemed more stressful than playing with mixed emotions for tennis couple. In the aftermath of a strong comeback win that moved her into a grand slam quarter-final for the 12th time in her career, Elina Svitolina departed Rod Laver Arena fully aware that her most difficult task of the day was still to come. She warmed down, showered, completed her media obligations and ate her post-match meal, then returned to the courts as a spectator, sitting in the front row of the courtside coaching boxes on Margaret Court to cheer on her husband, Gaël Monfils, in his own fourth round match against Ben Shelton.
![[Tumaini Carayol]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/03/01/Tumaini_Carayol_v2.png?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
“It’s more stressful,” said Monfils of the experience of supporting a spouse courtside, after a back injury ended his match in the fourth set. “It’s more stressful because you’re not in control, you want to help, and you can just help with talking, but it’s different because when you play yourself. You really want to help sometimes, with strategy, or you can see that someone, myself for her, a bit stressed, and you want to help to relax. It’s stressful, but also you try to not show it too much and give as much as you can.”.
![[Gaël Monfils walks off court after retirement from the match]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/912d4a7bdfde7f49ebb0411696ffa43dec685935/0_87_7369_4422/master/7369.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Svitolina was not merely there to cheer. Although tennis does not dominate their relationship away from the courts, Monfils and Svitolina follow each other’s opponents closely and strategise together before matches: “It means a lot to us to have someone who understands what we are going through,” said Svitolina. “It’s a really nice feeling for me personally. I don’t know how it is for other players. For me personally, it is nice when you come back to your room, you have a little chat about the upcoming matches.”.
