Gael Monfils’ touching message about his ‘superhero’ daughter ahead of last season of tennis
Gael Monfils is about to start his final season on the ATP Tour, but before he left home he penned an emotional note about his last interaction with his daughter before he left home.
The mercurial Monfils announced at the start of October that the 2026 campaign would be his last as a professional tennis player, writing: “The opportunity to turn my passion into a profession is a privilege I have cherished during every match and moment of my 21-year career.
“Though this game means the world to me, I am tremendously at peace with my decision to retire at the end of the 2026 tennis season.”
Monfils and his wife, WTA star Elina Svitolina, became first-time parents in October 2022 when they welcomed a daughter named Skai.
The pair have admitted that being professional tennis players who have to spend several weeks away from home while their daughter remains in Europe is never easy.
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And both are once again on the road as they will compete in Auckland, New Zealand, in the next few weeks with Svitolina starting her campaign at the WTA ASB Classic on January 4. Her husband will play at the same venue a week later as he has signed up for the ATP 250 version.
But before leaving Europe for the Antipodean, former world No 6 Monfils wrote a heartwarming passage about his daughter on Instagram, saying: “Today, I’m heading out for what will be my last season of tennis. A huge chapter of my life.
“Before I left, my daughter said to me: ‘Daddy, what if we put on our masks and become superheroes?’ She with her Spider-Man mask, Me with my Black Panther mask.
“Because in her eyes, I will always be a hero. And because through her eyes, we can face the world together.
“I leave with that invisible mask on my heart. With pride. With gratitude. With love.
“One last season. For her. For me. For everything tennis has given me.”
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Monfils, who is currently at No 68 in the ATP Rankings, is yet to confirm his final event, but when he does eventually hang up his racket, he will go down as one of the great entertainers of the ATP Tour.
The 39-year-old was known for his excellent court coverage and trick shots, but he didn’t just entertain crowds as he also won things.
The Frenchman won 13 singles titles while his best performances at the Grand Slams were runs to the semi-finals of the French Open in 2008 and the US Open in 2016.
The last of his titles came at the Auckland Open as he won the trophy in January 2025.
