Gael Monfils has announced that he will retire from professional tennis at the end of the 2026 season, marking the conclusion of a remarkable career.
He’s already started his farewell tour, which included his last appearance at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Monfils is often listed among the best players never to win a Grand Slam, having reached two semi-finals at Roland Garros and the US Open during his career.
When asked about how Monfils should be remembered, Nick Kyrgios – who has shared a close friendship with him over the years – addressed whether not winning a major affects how people view his achievements.
Nick Kyrgios believes Gael Monfils has nothing left to prove in tennis
Monfils, now 37, has enjoyed a 22-year career, winning 13 ATP titles and reaching a career-high ranking of world number six in 2016.
Even without a Grand Slam title to his name, Kyrgios feels Monfils’ impact on the sport stands alongside some of the game’s biggest names.
Kyrgios said: “I think his legacy is that people can do it that way. Not everyone is Roger. Not everyone is Rafa. Not everyone is Djokovic.
“You can go out and enjoy yourself and be yourself and have fun. People have said Monfils, Kyrgios, we never lived up to our talents, but if you look at his career now, he’s got an amazing résumé.
“He’s got nothing more to prove. He’s had a great career. For me, I just wanted to say good-bye because he was a big idol for me growing up.”
Next on Monfils’ schedule are the Argentina Open and the Brazilian Open as part of South America’s ‘Golden Swing’.
Monfils and Kyrgios had just one doubles appearance together
While Monfils and Kyrgios shared a strong bond during their time on the ATP Tour, they played just one doubles match together, and that came late in both of their careers.
They teamed up at the 2025 Washington Open, marking Kyrgios’ first match back since appearing at the Miami Open earlier that year.
The duo faced off against Hugo Nys and Édouard Roger-Vasselin but were beaten comfortably, losing 6-2, 6-2.
After the match, Kyrgios took to social media to say: “Sorry, it’s on me—I was playing on one leg. But Gaël was yelling at me on the court.”
Monfils had a similar take after the loss, admitting they were simply outplayed on the day.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
