Wouldn’t we all love to achieve couple goals like Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina?

On an unforgettable day in their three-and-a-half-year marriage, the enduring fan favourites each claimed upset wins over No.4 seeds at Australian Open 2025. Featuring in back-to-back matches at Margaret Court Arena, Monfils and Svitolina both achieved come-from-behind wins.

MORE: All the scores from Day 7 at AO 2025

“I think I warmed up the court for her!” beamed Monfils, after a 3-6 7-5 7-6(1) 6-4 victory over the in-form Taylor Fritz. 

If it was a gallant gesture as a husband, it was even more impressive as a player. The Frenchman became only the second man to reach the final 16 at age 38 or older since 1988 after Roger Federer in 2020. With his 37th match win in Melbourne, he joined Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s all-time AO men’s singles match wins by a French player.

MORE: AO 2025 men’s singles draw

And having thrived in what he described as the perfect setting – “A big player, big stadium, good crowd, good energy” – Monfils promptly completed his post-match obligations and returned to the same court.

There, he proudly watched on as his wife recovered from a slow start against Jasmine Paolini and emerged with a 2-6 6-4 6-0 win. “It was a crazy battle today,” she smiled. “I want to say I got inspired after my husband’s win.”  

Monfils now enters an Australian Open fourth second for the sixth time in 19 main-draw campaigns at Melbourne Park. The 30-year-old Svitolina, contesting her 12th Australian Open, is relishing a fifth appearance in the tournament’s final 16.

As Monfils and Svitolina juggle parenting duties to two-year-old daughter Skai, there’s also a success-breeding-success theme to their professional life.

Following victory at the ATP lead-in event in Auckland – where he became the oldest man to lift an ATP trophy since Ken Rosewall in 1977 – Monfils has constructed a nine-match winning streak.