Paris – Perennial crowd favourite and former world No. 6 rank Gael Monfils says he’ll retire on the finish of the 2026 tennis season.
The 39-year-old French veteran grew to become well-known for his epic fashion of play, and was introduced in a message posted on social media with the message, “Now can be my final as an expert tennis participant.”
“I used to be two and a half years outdated and I used to be holding my racket in my hand for the primary time, and at 18 I began enjoying professionally,” writes Monfils. “The chance to show my ardour right into a career is a privilege I cherished in each sport and second of my 21-year profession. This sport means the world to me, however I can be my choice and peace.”
Monfils has received 13 titles. His finest outcomes on the Grand Slam match have been the 2 semi-finals on the 2008 French Open and the 2016 US Open.
“I by no means received a grand slam throughout my profession whereas I used to be approaching, and I do not fake to anticipate to take action throughout the subsequent yr,” Monfils stated.
Following within the footsteps of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet, he was the final member of a French group of gamers known as “The Musketeers” and stopped doing so.
In January, Monfils grew to become the oldest participant to win an ATP Tour title, reaching the feat in Auckland, New Zealand, when he first received his thirteenth Tour title in 20 years on the age of 38 in 132 days. He took over from Roger Federer, 74 days on the age of 38 when he received the ultimate tour title of his profession, the Swiss indoor title in Basel in 2019.
Monfils married Ukrainian participant Erina Svitrina in 2021, and the couple has a daughter collectively. Monfils is at present ranked 53rd.
“‘Arez, frog!” on an actual life or on a TV display screen: your power and love is basically every thing to me,” Monfils stated.
