Gaël Monfils made an emotional appearance before fans at the Paris Masters on Tuesday, marking his farewell to tennis after quietly retiring in early October. He had been scheduled to say goodbye at the tournament, but had withdrawn from anti-doping protocols before the event.
Monfils devoted much of his speech to his four-year-old daughter, Skai, saying she had asked him to talk about her. He recalled that she wanted to become a champion, first in “everything” and then specifically in tennis, and said he hoped she would pursue whatever path she chose. He also dedicated his final match to her and said he hoped she might one day play in Paris.
The Frenchman noted that the date of his farewell marked eight years since he began his relationship with Skai’s mother, Elina Svitolina. The couple’s separation had been announced the previous month. Monfils had also spoken out against abuse directed at Svitolina and said he was struggling with the end of their relationship.
A tribute video at the tournament featured messages from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, among others. Djokovic praised Monfils as kind and funny, while Federer said he had many fans and that people wanted to be a little like him. Alcaraz called him an inspiration and exceptional athlete, and Nadal congratulated him on a remarkable career.
Ben Shelton also described Monfils as the “greatest entertainer in the history of tennis.” The article says Monfils is now preparing for a life in finance.
Sources: Tennis365.