Elina Svitolina says it’s a great outing for her and veteran husband Gael Monfils as they stun World No. 4s Jasmine Paolini, Taylor Fritz in their respective singles matches
Gael Monfils kisses his wife Elina Svitolina after her win over Jasmine Paolini in Melbourne on Saturday. Pic/AFP
Elina Svitolina hailed a super Saturday for her and husband Gael Monfils at Melbourne Park after both sent World No. 4 players packing from the Australian Open.
Ukraine’s Svitolina beat Jasmine Paolini 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the third round of the women’s draw just hours after Frenchman Monfils stunned American Taylor Fritz on the same Margaret Court Arena in the men’s singles. “It’s really a great day for us today, beating top-four players and playing great tennis,” said the 30-year-old Svitolina.
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The 38-year-old Monfils was watching from Svitolina’s on-court coaching box as the couple both reached the last 16 of the first Grand Slam of the year.
Learner Tien serves to Corentin Moutet during their match on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
“Most of the big tournaments we have each other by our sides. It means a lot to have someone who understands what I am going through,” said Svitolina.
Svitolina and Monfils got married in 2021 and had a daughter in 2022. They try to keep their on-court and off-court lives separate. “When we go back home, we completely switch off [from tennis],” Svitolina explained. “We just enjoy our time as a family, as a mum and dad with our daughter. It’s a really unique connection that we have. I’m really happy with the way that we’ve been dealing with these things.”
Svitolina’s best showing at the Australian Open was reaching the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2019. Monfils’ 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 win over Fritz sent him into the last 16 for a sixth time in 19 appearances in Melbourne.
Svitolina dropped five games in a row to lose the first set against the Italian Paolini but stepped up the pace to win the second. The World No. 27 then completely ran away with the third as Paolini had no answers to her shot-making which gleaned 34 winners.
Tien, youngest in last 16
Teenage qualifier Learner Tien said it was “pretty crazy” after becoming the youngest man to reach the fourth round since Rafael Nadal in 2005 when he overcame Frenchman Corentin Moutet.
The American 19-year-old won 7-6 (12/10), 6-3, 6-3 in Melbourne with Moutet collapsing clutching his leg in the third set before gamely carrying on. The victory extended Tien’s remarkable tournament after he stunned last year’s runner-up and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev in a five-set thriller in round two. “Honestly it feels pretty crazy to be in the second week. Going through Qs [qualifying],” he said.
No other American man his age has gone so far in Melbourne since Pete Sampras in 1990, with Tien’s reward a clash against Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who dispatched Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in four sets.
Danielle Collins said she was proud of herself and did not care what people thought after being booed in and out of the arena in losing 4-6, 4-6 to fellow American Madison Keys.
Collins exits to boos
The 31-year-old Collins became the pantomime villain of Melbourne Park on Thursday when she sarcastically thanked hecklers for “paying my bills” after she defeated home hope Destanee Aiava in the second round. She also blew kisses to the fiercely partisan crowd, cupped her ear and even pointed to her backside. Collins smiled as she faced a smattering of boos when she walked out.
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