Gael Monfils' professional tennis career has ended abruptly, weeks before he was scheduled to play his final two tournaments on home soil. The world No. 6 had planned to say farewell at next month's Paris Masters and had also accepted a wildcard into the upcoming Lyon Open. Instead, he has quietly retired after being placed on the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) list of retired players.
Final Match Came at the US Open
As a result, the final match of his career occurred more than a month ago, when Monfils lost in the second round of the US Open, having won his opening match there on his 40th birthday. The 13-time title winner was known for his showmanship on the tour, dazzling spectators with his hot shots.
During his career, Monfils spent years competing against the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray. He also achieved an incredible run of reaching at least one singles final every year for 19 straight seasons from 2005 to 2023.
Retirement Confirmed by ITIA
At the end of last year, Monfils announced that 2026 would be his final season on the tour. He played a somewhat limited schedule in his farewell season and was honoured with ceremonies at important events like the French Open and US Open. However, it emerged earlier this week that the ITIA, the body overseeing anti-doping protocols in tennis, had been notified of his retirement.
This means he is no longer in the testing pool required for professional tennis players, and he could not play another competitive match unless he re-entered the pool for at least six months, similar to what Serena Williams did before making her comeback this year.
Plans to Work in a Bank
Organisers of the Lyon Open then confirmed that Monfils would no longer use his wildcard to enter the main draw or compete in a pre-tournament exhibition match due to “personal reasons”. The 40-year-old has not yet addressed his sudden retirement.
However, fans already know what Monfils plans to do next. The former world No. 6 is set to enter a career in finance. Back in 2024, he told Express Sport that he planned to work in a bank and had already undertaken an internship and exams.
“I want to work in a financial way. I want to work in a bank,” Monfils said. “I’ve done some internship when I was out of the court. I’ve always been a bit curious about that side and then I’ve been reading a lot and I tried it out a little bit and then I had an opportunity to work a little bit in a private bank.”
Reflecting on his internship, he added: “It was information, to understand how everything works. From the system of the private banking, from also the commercial part, how to talk to clients, from the wealth management so you know about the economy and all the other stuff, and it was quite interesting. I had some homework to do, and then I passed some exams. It was very interesting.”
