Billie Jean King, McEnroe & Wawrinka send messages to Gael Monfils after retirement statement

Ewan West
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Gael Monfils, Billie Jean King and Stan Wawrinka
Gael Monfils with Billie Jean King and Stan Wawrinka inset

Billie Jean King, Stan Wawrinka and Patrick McEnroe have all paid tribute to Gael Monfils with heartfelt messages after the Frenchman’s retirement announcement.

Monfils shared an emotional statement on Wednesday revealing that he would call time on his glittering career in 2026. The Frenchman is yet to confirm what his final tournament will be, but the Paris Masters seems a likely candidate given he stated he will retire at “the end” of the 2026 campaign.

‘La Monf’, who was born in Paris and will turn 40 in September next year, started his professional career in 2004. He has won 13 ATP Tour titles and reached a career-high ranking of world No 6 in 2016, while he is a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist.

After his statement, Monfils posted a touching and superbly-produced video featuring messages from his wife Elina Svitolina and his close friends and former French stars Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon.

Monfils’ announcement has affected the tennis world and tributes have poured in for a star known both for his extremely likeable personality and for being one of the most entertaining and exciting players to watch.

The Frenchman received a host of messages from notable tennis figures on his Instagram posts.

Billie Jean King: “What a truly incredible career. Looking forward to one last year of watching you play, and then following the next steps of your journey.”

Stan Wawrinka: “Legende la monf.”

Feliciano Lopez: “You truly are one of a kind and so you will be missed. Watching you play is inspiring, I’ve always admired you and wish you all the best in the new chapter.”

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In a post on X, former tennis star and renowned commentator Patrick McEnroe wrote: “Nobody better than @Gael_Monfils. Quite a year to come.”

Leading coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who founded the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) exhibition league at which Monfils has frequently appeared, paid glowing tribute to Monfils on LinkedIn.

“How do you say goodbye to a player like Gael Monfils? The truth is… you don’t,” Mouratoglou wrote.

“Everybody is going to miss Gael. Everyone. He is exactly the type of player tennis needs and the type we don’t have enough of.

“He found the perfect balance between performance and show. A career in the Top 10, Grand Slam semifinals… but also shots and moments so spectacular they’re engraved in our memories.

“There is only one Gael Monfils in the history of tennis. Unique, incomparable.

“I remember a dinner during UTS in Los Angeles with him and Benoit Paire. Gael was convinced he was ‘just a physical guy.’ He couldn’t see what I was seeing: a great serve, a dangerous forehand, and above all a very smart player who knew exactly what he was doing on court.

“I had to fight to make him believe how good he was. That says so much about his humility.

“When he retires in 2026, it will be a huge loss for tennis. Because tennis needs players like him. They are so rare.”

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