Gael Monfils reveals what stopped him ‘retiring’ from professional tennis 5 years ago
Gael Monfils revealed that he was on the verge of retiring from professional tennis in 2020, amid the radical changes made to the tour as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – before having his mind changed by his wife, Elina Svitolina.
The Frenchman turned pro in 2004, and – over 20 years later – continues to defy the odds.
Not only is the former world No 6 still competing, but Monfils is also winning titles – lifting the trophy at the 2025 edition of the ATP 250 event in Auckland.
Additionally, he defeated world No 4 Taylor Fritz at the Australian Open just two weeks later and has looked in solid form so far this year.
However, his positive attitude on and off the court was not always present in recent years, and even pushed him towards hanging up his racket for good.
“I don’t think so,” Monfils replied, when asked by Gilles Simon on his YouTube channel if he would still be playing without Elina Svitolina – his wife since July 2021.
“I think I would have stopped. When I came out of Covid, she helped me a lot. I was always top 10, but I wasn’t interested in empty stadiums.
“I was really starting to say, ‘I think I’m going to stop.’ “, he detailed. “And I couldn’t get back to the shape I was (before the pandemic). She helped me a lot with that, I found a little desire, this notion of pleasure which is very important to me.”
The professional tours entered a hiatus period from March 2020 until August of that year, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When action returned, most tournaments were held without a crowd – including the 2020 US Open, despite taking place at an event with the world’s biggest purpose-built tennis stadium.
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“Where I’m 100% sure that I wouldn’t be a tennis player if I hadn’t met Elina is when I get injured again in 2022,” Monfils added, referring to a foot injury which he sustained in August of that year.
“At that time, I said to Elina, ‘Well, it’s over.’ In addition she is pregnant, and I also have a big personal problem in my family at the same time, as you know. Internally, I tell myself that it’s over, even if it sucks to stop with an injury.
“And there, Elina finds the words. She told me: ‘Look, I’m going to come back (from maternity) too’.
“In fact, she helped me a lot and I found a goal that no one laughed at me for. I said I wanted to qualify for the Olympics (Paris 2024), when I was 400th in the world.
“My wife literally saved me. She reignited that fire in me. You know, sometimes it’s burning bright, sometimes it’s barely a flame, and she brought it back. Thank you, Elina.”
In October 2022, the couple welcomed their first child Skaï.
