Tennis golden couple Elina Svitolina & Gael Monfils announce their engagement – just a month after they ‘decided to take a break’

Tennis lovers Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils have publicly announced their engagement – little more than a month after confirming they had split after both failed to impress at the Australian Open.

Ukrainian world number five Svitolina triggered rumors that she might have been proposed to by Frenchman Monfils after wiggling her fingers at the camera while competing at the Miami Open last week.

Soon afterwards, the lovestruck players broke their silence by taking to social media to announce the news about their upcoming marriage.

"To the beginning of our forever," the couple said on their joint Instagram account, 'GEMSlife', which is an acronym for the couple's combined initials: Gael Elina Monfils Svitolina.

“The decision was incredibly difficult because we still have love for each other,” the pair said in a joint statement in February.

ATP star Monfils confirmed the news on social media, saying that Svitolina will soon take on his name."She said YES Madame MONFILS," the player wrote.

High-profile supporters including former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, Kim Clijsters and Marcos Baghdatis rushed to congratulate the newly engaged couple.

The announcement came shortly after the golden tennis couple had said they were taking a break from their relationship, stressing that it was a “difficult decision” for both of them.

“But it’s just two best friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives possible.”

At the time, Canadian player Milos Raonic described the purported break-up as more upsetting than celebrities Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's recent divorce after six years of marriage, writing: "I'm more sad about GEMSlife than Kimye."

Svitolina and Monfils, who have been dating since 2018, have become one of the most recognized couples in tennis.

The 34-year-old Monfils has won 10 ATP Tour titles and earned nearly $20 million in prize money during his career, while Svitolina can boast of 15 WTA singles titles, including the 2018 WTA Finals.