Elina Svitolina has chance to boost huge prize pot with Gael Monfils by £1m at Wimbledon

Elina Svitolina has an opportunity to ensure that her family leave Wimbledon with a huge payday. The Ukrainian tennis star is through to the quarter-finals, where she will take on Elena Rybakina on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old burst into tears after booking her place in the next round on Monday while wearing a black ribbon to commemorate those who died as a result of a recent Russian strike in Ukraine. Svitolina is a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist and will be hoping to leave SW19 with a career-best result this year.

She will be cheered on by French ace and husband Gael Monfils, who exited the men’s tournament in the third round. He received £143k for his performance at Wimbledon, but Svitolina has a chance to earn a seven-figure payout for her family.

Wimbledon quarter-finalists are guaranteed £375k in prize money, which would take their combined prize fund to £518k, but that amount will go up significantly if Svitolina can win her next match. A place in the semi-final would see the Ukrainian star receive £715k, meaning the couple would leave Wimbledon with £858k.

However, if Svitolina can go one step further than last year and reach the Wimbledon final, she would be guaranteed £1.4m as runner-up and could land the £2.7m jackpot. It could prove to be a lucrative fortnight for Svitolina and Monfils.

The couple, who married in July 2021 and share a one-year-old daughter, are yet to win a Grand Slam title during their respective careers but have earned huge amounts in prize money. Before Wimbledon, Monfils had won £17.1m, while Svitolina had earned £18.6m.

Svitolina has spoken openly about the challenges of managing family life on the tennis tour. Their daughter often travels with them but has remained at home during Wimbledon as the husband and wife duo opted to focus on the tournament

“We are at Wimbledon, which is extremely special for both of us,” she explained. “We do everything to get ready to play our best and just perform as well as we can, and then enjoy our time back home with our daughter and together as a family.

“We're here to work. We're here in full focus, both of us,” she added. “Of course, we want the best for each other and the best preparation possible. We practise and we do everything for these kinds of tournaments. That's why I think it's important to prioritise tennis at this moment.”