Gaël Monfils and Elina Svitolina, the only married couple in the US Open 2026 mixed-doubles draw, have turned one of tennis's most celebrated Grand Slams into a deeply personal family chapter — reaching the semi-finals on a wild-card entry before bowing out, in what is Monfils' final professional season.

A Wild-Card Entry That Became a Fairytale Run

The couple entered the mixed-doubles draw as wild cards, teaming up competitively for the first time in their careers. What followed was a run that captured the imagination of fans at Flushing Meadows, culminating in a quarter-final victory over world No. 1 doubles pairing Henry Patten and Kateřina Siniaková before their campaign ended in the semi-finals.

Svitolina pointed to the couple's mutual understanding as the decisive factor in their upset win. 'We had lots of nice moments, and I think we understand each other and what we're going through during this moment after the win. So, yeah, it's amazing to have my husband next to me and supporting me. I think this is what got us through,' she said.

More Than a Result — A Memory for Their Daughter

For Monfils, 39, the significance of the run extends well beyond the scoreboard. With his playing days drawing to a close, the Frenchman sees the shared adventure as a moment their daughter will treasure for life. 'It's a great honour, to be honest, in the last year, playing together for the first and last time. It's something that, you know, will stay with us forever, for our daughter, who'll see that mommy and daddy played together. So, for me, I think it's just amazing,' he said.

Svitolina echoed that sentiment, framing the entire campaign through the lens of Monfils' farewell season. 'It would be the most special year for Gael, as the last one, and of course, playing together. It's amazing, and yeah, just looking forward to more memories,' she said.

Context: A Grand Slam Like No Other

The US Open 2026 has been an unusually star-studded edition even before the main draw got underway. The Monfils-Svitolina story, however, has stood apart — not for its competitive stakes alone, but for what it represents: a couple sharing a court at the highest level of the sport, one last time, with their child watching.

This is the first occasion in recent Grand Slam history that a married couple has competed together in a mixed-doubles draw at Flushing Meadows, adding a rare human dimension to a tournament more often defined by individual glory.

What's Next

The main draw of the US Open 2026 begins on Sunday, 30 August, and will be broadcast live on JioHotstar and Star Sports. Monfils is also expected to compete in the singles draw as part of his farewell season on tour.