The curtain fell on a true icon of French tennis, and it went down exactly the way he lived his entire career: with pure showmanship, raw emotion, and an absolute refusal to go quietly.
Playing in his 19th and final Roland Garros before his retirement at the end of the 2026 season, Gael “La Monf” Monfils turned back the clock one last time on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Down two sets to his 25-year-old countryman Hugo Gaston, the 39-year-old veteran dug deep into his magical reserves. Pumping his fist towards his wife, Elina Svitolina, and riding an electric wave of chants from the Parisian crowd, Monfils clawed his way back to force a deciding fifth set.
While the fairy tale ended in a heartbreaking 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0 defeat as his physical tank hit empty, Monfils left the clay with his head held incredibly high, leaving behind a legacy of joy, acrobatic brilliance, and a unique bond with the fans that tennis will struggle to ever replace.
LOST THE GAME, ENDED UP WINNING HEARTS
That has always been the definitive story of Gael Monfils, and his final bow at Roland Garros was no different. The heartbreaking scoreline of his gruelling five-set defeat was instantly eclipsed by a thunderous standing ovation. Past midnight on Court Philippe-Chatrier, thousands of fans stayed in their seats for an emotional farewell ceremony. Taking the microphone, Monfils looked up at the stands with visible goosebumps, expressing how the unique and powerful connection he built with the Parisian crowd over two decades gave him chills every single year, thanking them from the bottom of his heart.
The most profoundly moving moment of his speech came when he turned to his wife, Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina, who was watching through tears. Just days earlier, Svitolina had published a touching letter to their daughter Skai, calling Gael the ultimate magician who taught her that life is about the feelings you inspire rather than the numbers on a scoreboard. Holding the microphone, Monfils bared his heart to her in front of the stadium:
“I would like to thank my wife because, without her, I maybe wouldn’t still be here tonight. We’ve been together 8 beautiful years. You have supported me, raised me, loved me, and you gave me the greatest gift for our daughter. I love you.”
Even with the curtain closing on his clay-court legacy, Monfils made it clear in his post-match press conference that his farewell tour isn’t completely finished yet. He revealed that he has already requested a wildcard for Wimbledon and is looking ahead to the hard-court swing, even if it messes with their family calendar. With his trademark grin, Monfils joked about the sudden schedule shift and his upcoming plans:
“We need to decide if we’ll go to Washington or not… I changed my plans for a vacation with Elina. So I guess maybe she could go on vacation.”
MONFILS’ LEGACY AT ROLAND GARROS
Following his final ball at Porte d’Auteuil, the tennis world showered “La Monf” with an emotionally charged farewell. The centrepiece was a star-studded tribute video featuring legends Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Stan Wawrinka, alongside new-gen stars Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Their messages echoed a single truth: Monfils is universally adored across generations for his infectious joy and peerless athleticism.
While celebrated as an entertainer, his elite resume backs up the love. Monfils reached a career-high World No. 6, captured 12 ATP titles, and made two Grand Slam semi-finals. Remarkably, his final campaign placed him in a tie with Yannick Noah for the most Open Era Roland Garros match wins by a Frenchman (40).
The emotional peak came when Monfils was joined on court by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, and Gilles Simon. Known as France’s “Four Musketeers”, a nod to the country’s historic 1920s tennis icons, this quartet carried the nation’s hopes for two decades. They pushed the Big Three, won the Davis Cup, and formed an unbreakable brotherhood. With Tsonga and Simon already retired, seeing the Musketeers reunite on Court Philippe-Chatrier for Monfils’ send-off closed the book on a golden generation of French tennis.
He may have lost the match, but Monfils walked off the clay completely victorious in the ways that mattered most.
– Ends
