Gael Monfils confirmed for Paris Masters appearance despite his retirement
Gael Monfils made the unexpected decision to retire from tennis before his planned farewell at the Paris Masters, but he is still set to appear at the event.
Earlier this month, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) added Monfils to its ‘retired’ list and confirmed the 40-year-old had removed himself from the sport’s anti-doping protocols.
Monfils‘ choice means is no longer eligible to enter professional tournaments, and he would need to undergo six months of out-of-competition anti-doping testing to return to competition.
The Frenchman had previously revealed his plan was to bow out at the 2026 Paris Masters in November, while he had also intended to play the ATP 250 event in Lyon last week.
Last week, Monfils’ wife Elina Svitolina announced she had decided to end their marriage, with the Ukrainian highlighting the impact of the war in her home country as a factor.
While Monfils will not compete at the Paris Masters, a ceremony will be held to pay tribute to the former world No 6 during the tournament: on the evening of Tuesday 3 November.
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In a social media post, the Paris Masters released a statement to announce Monfils’ farewell event.
“One last time, Paris will celebrate Gael,” the statement read.
“On Tuesday, November 3, the Rolex Paris Masters will pay tribute to Gael Monfils and his extraordinary career, on the very court where he penned some of the most beautiful chapters of his story.
“Join us for the evening session to celebrate La Monf’ in style.”
Monfils confirmed in a Twitch livestream on Monday that his early retirement was a direct result of his breakup with Svitolina.
“The breakup with Elina hurt me deeply. We’re human, we have our own problems, and we don’t necessarily control what we want,” said Monfils (translated from French).
“This breakup didn’t leave me unaffected. For people who have been in my situation, going through a breakup isn’t easy, and when it happens, I can’t train the way I want, I’m not at my best psychologically.
