Gael Monfils posts emotional message after final Monte Carlo Masters appearance

Monfils issues social media statement after retirement announcement

Gael Monfils played his final match at the Monte Carlo Masters, falling to Alexander Bublik in the second round.

The Frenchman had been given a wildcard entry into the ATP Masters 1000 event and made a strong start to his campaign.

He edged past Tallon Griekspoor 6-7(7), 6-1, 6-4 in a tight opening match, setting up a second-round meeting with the eighth seed Bublik.

Bublik was too strong on the day, claiming a 6-4, 6-4 win over the ATP veteran. The defeat marked an emotional moment for Monfils.

The defeat carried extra weight for Monfils, who later shared a heartfelt message on social media reflecting on his experience and emotions around the event.

Gael Monfils shares emotional message after final Monte Carlo Masters match

Monfils posted on Instagram: “Monte Carlo. One last time. I’m not going to pretend this is just another tournament, because it never was.

“Monte Carlo is a magnificent tournament. The sea, the courts, the air, the atmosphere… there’s something unique here, something that hits differently.

“I’ve lived moments here that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Wins that made me feel alive, losses that made me stronger, crowds that lifted me up.

“This tournament gave me so much, and I owe it so much in return. Today I lost, and that’s ok.

“What matters is that I got to step onto this court one last time, give everything I had, and feel all of it one more time. It was a beautiful moment, truly.

“Thank you to the organization for having me one last time. Thank you to the crowd for all these years of love and support.”

Gael Monfils admits he didn’t have much left in loss to Alexander Bublik

At 39, Monfils is winding down his career, and he’s making it clear that he wants to finish without leaving anything behind.

He put in a serious shift in his opening match, spending over two hours on court against Griekspoor.

Bublik ended up taking their round two clash 6-4, 6-4, with the veteran Frenchman looking visibly fatigued from his earlier effort.

Monfils spoke after the match: “I remember every match I played, honestly, from the first to the last. Every moment I was able to step on that beautiful court.”

“The chance of having played the tournament 13 times, I’m going to remember a bit of all that. Today, he played a solid match. Not many mistakes. He was quite precise in what he did. I struggled a bit today. I lacked a bit of energy.”

The highlight came in 2016 when Monfils made it all the way to the final before falling short against Rafael Nadal.

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