Gaël Monfils to retire after 2026 season

 

                          

                                             (Credit: Julien Crosnier/FFT) 

Earlier this week, French tennis star Gaël Monfils announced on social media that he will retire after the 2026 season. Monfils made the following statement: 

"I held a racket in my hands for the first time at two and a half, and began playing professionally at 18. Now, after celebrating my 39th birthday just a month ago, I’d like to share that the year ahead will be my last as a professional tennis player.

"The opportunity to turn my passion into a profession is a privilege I have cherished during every match and moment of my 21-year career. Though this game means the world to me, I am tremendously at peace with my decision to retire at the end of the 2026 tennis season.

"Mostly, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude. I’d like to express it to so many people:

"To my wife, Elina: my love, inspiration, and strength – and an exceptional player in her own right. To my daughter Skai: for the profound love, meaning, and joy she has added to my days. To my brother Daryl and my sisters Roddie and Maelie, for lifting me up during tough times and helping me celebrate the good ones. 

"To my best friends and loved ones, whose faces in the stands have always given me courage when it counted the most. To my longtime agent Nicolas, whose support and friendship helped me reach the highest highs and ride out the lowest lows. 

"To my coaches and team members over the years, who believed in a lanky kid from Paris and who have helped nurture my talent in ways I could never have imagined. To every person who ever cheered or shouted ‘Allez Gaël!’ in real life or at a TV screen: your energy and love are truly everything to me. To the French Tennis Federation for their unwavering support since Day One. 

"To Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon, and Richard Gasquet, my three musketeers and best friends for life. And most of all, to my parents: because all of this would have been impossible — unthinkable, even — without them. Papa, Maman, look how far we’ve come.

"While I came close, I never did win a Grand Slam during my career. I won’t pretend that I expect to do so during the next year. ‘You could have, you should have…’ As those who know me can attest, I’ve never thought this way, and frankly I’m far too old to start doing so now. Life is too short. Believe me when I say that I have no regrets.

"What I do have is the feeling that I have been lucky: insanely, stupidly lucky. I’ve had the chance to play during a golden age of tennis, alongside some of the greatest names in the history of our sport: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray. Even losing feels epic when you’re facing a legend.

"Looking ahead, I have only one goal: to enjoy every minute, and to play each match like it’s my last."

Monfils got ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in November of 2016 and for a little while was knocking on the door to win a grand slam, reaching the semifinals of the French Open in 2008 and the semifinals of the US Open in 2016. He also reached the quarterfinals twice at the Australian Open in 2016 and 2022. Only Wimbledon has he never figured out, reaching the 4th round just the once in 2018. 

While he was never able to win a grand slam, Monfils still had a strong career. For many years, he was in the mix and was always a crowd favorite. He plays the game with a lot of flair and passion, which you can't help but love if you enjoy the sport. I feel like he's been especially fun to watch on clay given his length and sliding. There are so many difficult balls he has gotten to over the course of his career. 

I think what's most amazing is that at 39 years of age, Monfils is currently ranked No. 48 in the world. He became the oldest ATP Tour singles champion earlier this year at 38 years and 132 days old when he won the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. On top of that, he reached the 4th round at the Australian Open earlier this year as well. The fact that he's playing as well as he is at his age speaks to the dedication he has to his craft. Few players are able to compete at such a high level so late in life. His longevity more than anything else is something he should be proud of. 

Looking ahead to 2026, it'll be fun to see how Monfils does in his final season on tour. Given how he did at the Australian Open this year, there's a chance he makes his way into the second week of a grand slam at least once. Of course, the tournament where there will be the most buzz is the French Open. If he can find a way to make the 4th round in Paris next year, you know the place will be bursting with excitement. 

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10 things to look for at the 2024 Olympics

                                             (Credit: Amber Searls/USA TODAY Sports) 

The 2024 Paris Olympics are under way, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for at the Olympic tennis tournament, which will be held on the clay courts of Roland Garros. For a look at the draws, click here. Just make sure to go to the tab that says "Match Types" to switch back and forth between men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. Alrighty, let's get into it! 

#1. Can Iga Świątek continue her dominance on the dirt? Iga Świątek comes in ranked #1 in the world with four French Open titles under her belt, most recently winning at Roland Garros earlier this summer. She is going to be the heavy favorite to win it all on the women's side given that clay is her best surface. It'll be interesting to see if she cruises to an Olympic gold medal or if anyone will offer some resistance and knock her out. 

#2. Can Rafael Nadal make any noise? This is almost certainly going to be the final Olympic games Rafael Nadal ever plays in and what better place for him to close out his Olympic career than in Paris? If he wins his first round match, up next will be Novak Djokovic. He has his work cut out for him, but at a minimum it would be fun to see the two of them face off one more time at this venue. Nadal is also playing doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, so how the two of them do in that draw will be something to watch for as well. 

#3. Can Coco Gauff bounce back quickly from a frustrating Wimbledon? Wimbledon did not go well for Coco Gauff as she went down in the 4th round. Fortunately for her, she loves the clay as she reached the French Open final in 2022. She knows how to play well at Roland Garros and coming in ranked #2 in the world, she has a great opportunity to go for the gold. It'll be fun to see if she can make that happen. 

#4. Can Novak Djokovic add a gold medal to his collection? Novak Djokovic is widely considered the greatest men's tennis player of all-time and yet he has never won an Olympic gold medal. He won the bronze at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing but that's it. I'm sure he would like to add a gold medal to his collection and this might be his last opportunity to do it. He's at a point of his career where he's just playing for legacy and no longer worrying about the money or anything. I bet we'll see a very focused Djokovic during this tournament. 

#5. Can Jasmine Paolini break through to win a gold medal? Jasmine Paolini has had a phenomenal summer, reaching the finals at the French Open and Wimbledon. She is coming into the Olympics with a lot of momentum as the #5 player in the world and 4th seed in the tournament. If she could win a gold medal, that would be huge for her confidence and also make her feel like she didn't come away from this strong summer totally empty handed. 

#6. Can Alexander Zverev defend his title? Alexander Zverev comes in ranked #4 in the world and is the 3rd seed thanks to Jannik Sinner not playing. Zverev won the gold medal in 2020 and will be looking to defend his title. While he's never won a grand slam singles title, having that Olympic gold medal is nothing to sneeze at. If he could add a second Olympic gold medal to his collection, that would do a good deal to boost his legacy. 

#7. Can Barbora Krejcikova build on her Wimbledon title? Barbora Krejcikova comes in having just won Wimbledon and she won the French Open back in 2021, so she knows how to win at Roland Garros. If you want to talk about someone who could threaten Iga Świątek for the gold, Krejcikova might be the biggest threat out there. I'll be really interested to see how Krejcikova does. 

#8. Can Carlos Alcaraz make it a golden summer? Carlos Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon this summer, so he's coming in with a lot of confidence. If he can win a gold medal, that would make this a summer for the ages. On top of that, as I mentioned earlier, he's also playing doubles with Rafael Nadal. If the two of them find a way to win the gold in the men's doubles, that would be really cool. 

#9. Can Caroline Wozniacki make some noise? Caroline Wozniacki is back playing tennis and most recently reached the 3rd round at Wimbledon. In women's tennis, anything can happen and with some matches now under her belt, I wouldn't rule out a run by Caroline Wozniacki. She reached the quarterfinals of the Olympics back in 2012 in London. If she could go even deeper this time and win a medal, she would be thrilled. 

#10. Can Gaël Monfils make the most of having home court advantage? Gaël Monfils is currently ranked 30th in the world and has the advantage of playing in his home country. The French crowd will go nuts if he makes a run. He's done pretty well at the Olympics, having reached the quarterfinals twice in 2008 (Beijing) and 2016 (Rio de Janeiro). If you want to talk about a possible dark horse, don't sleep on Monfils. 

Prediction: On the women's side, I'm going to pick Iga Świątek to win the gold. She's the best clay player in the world, making this event all teed up for her to go the distance. As for the men's side, I have to roll with Carlos Alcaraz. He won the French Open and Wimbledon this summer, so he's coming in hot. I think he knows the history that is on the line here and how he has a chance to really have a summer for the ages if he adds on a gold medal. It'll be fun to see if he pulls it off. 

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