Love match: Romance powers Svitolina and Monfils at US Open

Elina Svitolina's blossoming romance with Gael Monfils is propelling the couple's deep runs at the US Open, and the Ukrainian urged the French star to keep pace after his quarter-final victory.

Svitolina, who broke the psychological barrier of reaching a Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon in July, became the first Ukrainian to make the last four of the US Open with a 6-4 6-4 win over Britain's Johanna Konta on Tuesday.

Boyfriend Monfils, the 13th seed in the men's draw, is through to a fourth quarter-final at Flushing Meadows and will look to equal his best Slam run when he meets Italian Matteo Berrettini on Wednesday.

"We are pushing each other and we are now trying to join each other in the semi-finals," Svitolina said.

"Now it's time for him to step up his game!"
"I think (I'm) more calm, if you want to describe it in few words. It's more calm and I talk more now with my coach. I'm more open with my coach and also with, you know, with Gael about the tennis and my feelings. This really changed, I think, for the past, I don't know, nine, 10 months."
- Motivated by 'painful losses' -
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"He understands, I understand, what we're going through. It's great."
"It's a Grand Slam. There is lots of pressure. You have to just go out there, do your job and don't think too much what's going on around you, and who handles it the best wins."