Monfils draws one last roar from Roland Garros faithful

After taking a 5-3 lead in the fourth set with a forehand winner, Gael Monfils waved his arms to the devoted crowd of nearly 15,000 at Philippe-Chatrier court, encouraging them to cheer. The fans did not need the reminder yet they obliged all the same. Moments later he forced a deciding set against Hugo Gaston. There were Ga-el cheers as had been heard throughout the steamy Parisian evening and Staying Alive blared on the stadium loudspeaker.

Crowd energy fuels fourth-set surge

Dozens of Merci Gael shirts could be seen throughout the stands. It seemed thanks yet again to his signature high-energy style and astounding shotmaking that he had found magic at Roland Garros one more time. But despite the never-ending will of those in attendance it was not to be. Gaston his fellow Frenchman 14 years his junior routed him in the final set for a 6-2 6-3 2-6 3-6 6-0 final and just like that Monfils storied career at the French Open had come to a close.

The 39-year-old Monfils had announced at the start of the season that it would be his last on tour. And though there are many tournaments he still hopes to play including Wimbledon and the US Open everyone knew the French Open would be the most significant and where he would receive the grandest of send-offs. He had won it as a junior in 2004 and Roland Garros had been the site of his first major semifinal as a professional.

And it is also where in the words of tournament director Amelie Mauresmo he could be described only as a French legend. After the match was over when addressing the crowd he called the tournament unique exceptional and amazing. Less than an hour later he told reporters he still had not fully processed the night. It is a mixed feeling between happiness sadness and you know it is a lot of feelings a lot of emotion he said. It is very hard to describe.

Shotmaking legacy reaches across eras

Though it might take some time for Monfils to appreciate all that he has achieved those in the sport are already more than aware of his legacy and influence. For many years he had been among France’s best hopes to win a major title and though that probably will not happen it is clear based on the reception from the crowd Monday night and the glowing video tribute that featured several Slam champions including Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz among many others he will not soon be forgotten. Gael thank you for everything. For me you were a true inspiration. A great athlete but the most important thing a great person off the court. After defeating Monfils in the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open Ben Shelton like so many others could not help but praise his opponent. Gael is a guy that I have watched since I was a little kid he said. I always say that he is the greatest highlight tape of all time.

Known for infectious energy dazzling athleticism and an endless array of jaw-dropping and physics-defying shots Monfils has long been a crowd favorite at tour stops around the globe. In an open letter to their 3-year-old daughter for The Players Tribune Elina Svitolina who had a dramatic three-set victory of her own earlier in the day Monday compared watching Monfils to hearing the perfect song at a concert or the perfect line in a movie. Gael Monfils was one of the greatest shot-makers anyone has ever seen. There are others who were more consistent or who made fewer mistakes but it is interesting she wrote. Because when you say why these players are great maybe you are needing to give a long explanation. Or you are needing to show many statistics or a whole match or a whole tournament. But with your dad it is not like this. With your dad it is so simple. You can show someone a single point of his even a single shot and now they will get it. Because your dad in just one shot one moment he could achieve what I think few athletes ever achieve. He could make people feel something.

That was evident in the match Monday night. The crowd seemed to live and breathe with every point chanting and yelling Allons-y whenever it seemed he needed a moment of encouragement. And that reception was hardly anything new. Monfils has always drawn the cheers and the crowds but since he announced this would be his final year on tour it has only increased. Felix Auger-Aliassime played Monfils at Indian Wells in March and he said the crowd was unlike anything he had previously experienced. The atmosphere on the court was absolutely unbelievable he said last week. It was the first round. People were so happy so excited to see him one last time. He is very loved everywhere he goes.

Representation opens doors for next wave

A highly touted junior player who reached the world No. 1 ranking and won three of the four major boys singles titles in 2004 Monfils was the 2005 ATP Newcomer of the Year. But his professional career never quite reached the same heights nor lived up to early expectations in large part because he was playing in the era of the Big Three of Federer Nadal and Djokovic. Though many hoped he could be the one to snap the major drought among French men 43 years and counting that seems all but impossible now. Still he notched two major semifinal appearances at the 2008 French Open and 2016 US Open won 13 ATP titles and achieved a No. 6 world ranking. But as Svitolina noted statistics will not capture his whole unique greatness. His legacy extends beyond simply results or trophies. As a Black player who started his career at a time when there were few on tour many credit him for helping inspire the next generation.

Honestly for me seeing representation is so important four-time major champion Naomi Osaka 28 said. On the women’s side for me growing up I had Serena and Venus Williams so I was so grateful to them. On the men’s side I always looked up to Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for such a long time. I think it is just so important. And obviously there is a wave of Black French guys coming up. I know for sure he is inspired a lot of players here. I just really love the way he carries himself the way he represents us. Osaka held a dinner party last week in Paris alongside Taylor Townsend for the Black players competing at the French Open. Monfils was in attendance. When addressing backlash about the event Osaka wrote it was a celebration about how far we have come in the sport. Auger-Aliassime 25 said Monfils helped bring in players who were not necessarily that interested in tennis previously and brought in a different perspective. Arthur Fils a 21-year-old French player who is Black has repeatedly called Monfils a big brother figure and someone he grew up watching. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard another up-and-coming Black French player who lost to Djokovic on Philippe-Chatrier court Sunday has cited Monfils among his childhood idols.

For others it is Monfils personality and warmth that will be remembered most although that too is something that Svitolina attributed in her letter to growing up Black in France and in the sport and often needing to navigate unwelcoming environments. Djokovic a 24-time major champion said he has known Monfils since they were 13 or 14 and has considered him a friend and a rival and one of his favorite players to watch in the decades since. He is somebody that has touched so many people’s hearts has respect from I think everyone in the men’s and women’s locker rooms across all the generations he has competed with Djokovic said. I mean I do not know anyone that really does not like Gael. Ugo Humbert a 27-year-old French player who grew up watching Monfils seconded that assessment. After calling Monfils a great person who had always been there on tour for anyone who needed him Humbert was asked during his pre-tournament news conference if he had ever heard anyone say anything bad about Monfils. He did not hesitate. No. Honestly no. And that Djokovic said in his video tribute Monday might just be Monfils biggest victory of all. Monfils still plans to compete at Wimbledon and the US Open before the season ends. Those events will test whether the same tactical instincts that produced a 5-3 lead on clay can stretch his final campaign on grass and hard courts. The 2004 junior champion at Roland Garros leaves behind a body of work defined by movement and shot variety that younger players continue to reference when calculating their own surface adjustments.