French veteran Gael Monfils announces he will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season.
Gael Monfils has announced he will retire from tennis at the end of the 2026 season.
The 39-year-old has won 13 titles in his career and became the oldest ATP Tour champion at the age of 38 and four months when he won the Auckland Open in January.
Monfils' athleticism and all-action displays made him one of the most popular players on tour.
However, the world number 53 has struggled with injuries in recent years and he was forced to retire from last month's Chengdu Open with an ankle problem.
"Life is too short. Believe me when I say that I have no regrets," Monfils wrote on Instagram.
"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."
The Frenchman reached a career-high ranking of sixth in the world in 2016 after reaching the semi-finals of the US Open, when he was beaten by Novak Djokovic.
Monfils' run at Flushing Meadows was the second of two Grand Slam semi-final appearances in his career, having lost to Roger Federer in the last four of the 2008 French Open.
"While I came close, I never did win a Grand Slam during my career," continued Monfils.
"I won't pretend that I expect to do so during the next year.
"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, [Rafael] Nadal, Djokovic, [Andy] Murray."
Monfils appeared at four Olympic Games, reaching the quarter-finals in Beijing in 2008 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Category: General Sports
