The evening marked the official end of his career after a season spent on an almost permanent farewell tour, especially since Roland Garros in May. Monfils, who? He turned 40 during the US Openis no longer a player ready to end his career. he is now retired having accomplished his purpose; play to 40.
“I was able to sit down for a couple of weeks, I won’t hide it, weeks that were a little bit more painful, but I was able to sit down and really look back at the images, see what I was able to achieve,” he said. “I gave everything. I’m really happy, really at peace with what I’ve been able to do.”
The most touching moment came when she talked about her daughter Skye, 4. “No, you don’t talk about me enough, Dad,” she said, before asking why people had come to greet her. He then told them about the rest of the exchange.
– Dad is very kind, so you should be very kind.
– I also want to be very kind. And I also want to become a champion.
– Skye, champion of what?
– Champion of everything.
– However, you have to choose.
– I would like to talk champion.
– Well, it’s a concept.
– I would like to become a tennis champion.
He gave his “last lap of honor”. “Your father was a tennis player, he loved tennis. I grew up in Paris, I had a great crowd and I hope with all my heart that you will become the champion of whatever you put your mind to and that one day you will play here in Paris.” He also noted that Nov. 3 marked the eight-year anniversary of his relationship with Skye’s mother, Elina Svitolina, from whom he recently separated.
Monfils was then joined on court by the other three “new guns” of French tennis. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and: Gilles Simonof which he was the last one still playing. Benoît Paire and singer M. Pocora were also there, as in the ranking “La Monf, la Monf, on est là pour toi, Paris chante avec toi” (“La Monf, la Monf, we’re here for you, Paris sings with you”).
A melancholy farewell in contrast to Roland Garros
There was a deep melancholy over the 15-minute ceremony that contrasted with hers Goodbye to Roland-Garros in May, which was longer, more intense and more energetic. Smartly dressed in a light gray waistcoat and dark gray trousers, Monfils remained as calm and composed throughout as he had been in Port d’Otto.
Piolin and Moreton welcomed him to the court as host Mark Morey listed his achievements, from a world junior title to 13 ATP titles. Monfils started on the lap of honor before taking his place between the two men. The video then showed pictures of him at the Rolex Paris Masters, with France’s Davis Cup team, at Roland Garros Juniors and on the ATP Tour, before the crowd unleashed a giant “Merci Gaël” typhoon.
I will not hide from you that it is a really difficult moment, saying goodbye to the most beautiful thing that this country can give us – you, this magnificent crowd.
“Good evening Paris, thank you, that’s kind,” he began. “I will not hide from you that it is a really difficult moment to say goodbye to the most beautiful thing that this country can give us – you, this magnificent crowd. Twenty-two years, 22 years of being a professional tennis player, 22 years of an extraordinary story that I couldn’t really dream of.”
He also thanked his parents. Her father was in the arena, her mother was watching her daughter. “We came to Rolex for the first time in the 2000s, watched matches, I played at Rolex for the first time in 2004, and here it is in 2026,” he said. “So it’s thanks to you, Mom and Dad.”
Montfils in Paris. two finals, no title
Monfils played 11 games in the tournament, recording 16 wins and 10 losses. He reached the final twice in a row, losing to Novak Djokovic 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3) in 2009 and then to Robin Soderling 6-1, 7-6 (1) in 2010, after defeating Roger Federer 7-6 (7), 6-7 (1), 7-64 (1) in the semifinals.
His first victory in Paris came in 2004, at the age of 18, against Thomas Enqvist, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. His last match there was a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5 loss to Francisco Cerundolo in the first round of 2023.
