Monfils bids farewell to Australian Open after loss to Sweeney – Tennis Now
Gael Monfils, 39, still has tennis to play in 2026, but his stint at the Australian Open is officially over after the Frenchman lost 6-7(3) 7-5 6-4 7-5 to qualifier Dane Sweeny at Kia Arena.
Monfils participated in the Australian Open for the 20th time and the Grand Slam main draw for the 69th time, but he failed in the Grand Slam qualifying round for the third time in his career. He had never lost to a player outside the top 100 until he dropped to world No. 182 on the third day.
Although Sweeney stole the show with a stellar performance of tennis to win his first main draw match at a Grand Slam, he was more than happy to share the spotlight with Monfils after the match. Tournament Director Craig Tiley was on hand to pay tribute to the two-time quarter-finalist, who will go down as one of the greatest performers in the history of the sport when he officially retires.
Monfils has won 37 matches in his career, tying him with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as the Frenchman with the most wins at the Australian Open.
Monfils told reporters that his decision to retire had been in the works for a long time. He said his wife, Elina Svitolina, inspired him to keep going, even when he considered ending his career during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I made this decision a long time ago,” Monfils said. “The first time was during COVID and I almost wanted to stop. Then when she got pregnant, I ruptured my plantar fascia too. I was about to say I was done. She kept telling me to push me forward and push my limits a little bit.
“[It was] Worth it. Glad I could find something different. certainly, [Elina] is a very important part of it. “
