Gaël Monfils retirement farewell at Paris Masters, Digi Mart USA News (Plénitude Arena, Paris): French tennis player Gaël Monfils ended his professional career with a farewell lap of honor at the Paris Masters 1000 tournament, repeating his signature celebration of crossed arms and chest-tapping before a standing crowd that chanted his name.
There was no epic comeback or historic victory this time, only a final tour of the court to say goodbye to French fans after 22 years as a professional. Monfils had not planned to end his career in street clothes at the Paris Masters, but his divorce from Elina Svitolina a few months earlier had dampened his motivation.
In early October, the International Tennis Integrity Agency had listed him among retired players before he publicly announced the end of his career.
The farewell came between night session matches, after Ben Shelton’s victory, when he was invited to the microphone and the crowd gave him a standing ovation. French spectators celebrated for roughly twenty minutes the player who had thrilled them throughout his career, including two lost finals at the tournament, which was previously held at Bercy.
“Thank you, Paris,” Monfils said into the microphone after his first lap of honor. “I won’t hide that this is a really difficult moment to say goodbye to the most beautiful thing this land has ever given me, which is this audience.
Twenty-two years of an extraordinary story I could never have dreamed of. If I have been able to fulfill my dream today, it is thanks to all of you.”
Last week on Twitch, Monfils had promised a “big show” for his farewell. There was not really one, and that was fine.
The ceremony included a highlight video from his Masters 1000 career, a banner reading “Merci Gaël” spread across nearly an entire stand, some small dance steps, and his longtime companions Richard Gasquet, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gilles Simon and Benoît Paire joining him on court, along with friends. Above all, there were his words, long awaited after a difficult few weeks.
Monfils thanked Gilles Moretton, president of the French Tennis Federation, and Cédric Pioline, the tournament organizer, who had been aware of his divorce. “I went through a somewhat more complicated period personally, and Gilles and Cédric were really there for me recently.
They helped me overcome a bit of all my fears and anxieties. I thought it would be insurmountable to come and say goodbye to you face to face.”
The farewell was equally difficult for players who had known or admired him. Moïse Kouamé, who lost to Nuno Borges, said: “Gaël, it was a really special day for us French and for the whole world.
Seeing him leave will be really very sad.”
Before beginning a new career in finance as a wealth management adviser in Switzerland, Monfils directed his final words of thanks to his daughter, Skaï, who is four years old. “Before leaving, my little girl wanted me to absolutely talk about her, because that was her thing.
[…] She told me she wanted to be a tennis champion. I told her she will have good aptitudes.” He concluded: “Skaï, your dad was a tennis player, he loved tennis, I grew up in Paris, I had a magnificent audience, and I hope with all my heart that you will be champion of whatever you want, and I hope that one day you can play here in Paris.”
That was Gaël Monfils. Thank you, artist.
