‘Life is too short’ – Monfils to retire in 2026

After announcing his retirement at the end of the 2026 season, Gael Monfils says he feels “stupidly lucky” to have participated in a golden era of tennis.

The 39-year-old has won 13 titles in his career, including the Auckland Open title, which he won in January, making him the oldest ATP Tour member in four months.

One of the most well-known players on tour was Monfils, who was known for his athleticism and all-action displays.

However, the 53-year-old has had injuries in recent years, and he was forced to withdraw from the Chengdu Open last month due to an ankle issue.

“Life is too short,” he declared. Believe me when I state that I don’t regret anything, Monfils wrote on Instagram.

“I feel lucky, insanely lucky, stupidly lucky,” I do have this feeling. I’ve had the opportunity to play alongside some of the greatest players in tennis history: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray.

The 39-year-old experienced his most consistent form during the mid-2010s, when Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal were at their most elite.

After being defeated by Djokovic in the semi-finals of the US Open, the Frenchman moved up to a career-high sixth in the world in 2016.

After losing to Federer in the final four of the 2008 French Open, Monfils made his second Grand Slam semi-final appearance at Flushing Meadows.

“I never did win a Grand Slam during my career,” continued Monfils.

I won’t pretend to plan for it the following year.

At the Cincinnati Open in 2024, the Frenchman blew it out to world number one Carlos Alcaraz.

However, the Spaniard and Jannik Sinner have combined won nine Grand Slams totaling more than $10,000.