[FelipeL]

All in all, Gael doesn’t really have that great of a resume for such a big name. Zero Slam finals, zero 1000 titles, only three 1000 finals - and those were in the "smaller" ones, Monte Carlo and Bercy…

 

[auntie janie]

Ah, the last of the Musketeers ends his run! Those were good times for French tennis. Hope Gael can stay injury-free and snag some good wins in his last season.

 

[Fogmeister]

So, he will retire as 40 yo.

Expected, but sad. He is still capable of playing some great ones. Remember, he beat Alcaraz last year.

 

[Proper]

what's wrong with announcing a swansong tour?

A few days before the French Open would have been enough.

 

[hellomotto]

Hope he has a few more matches against djok to make it more lopsided.

He's been and is a character on tour. The tour was just a lot better with him,
Regardless of whether you think he underperformed or not

And you can tell he just loves the game

 

[SanO]

He is one of my favorite players of the past 20 years. So charismatic and endearing. I’m going to miss him.

 

[Kowchi]

Monflis had a great run , got to be a part of some of the most epic matches in history and always gave a tough fight.

 

[USATP]

I mean, these old guys hanging around for the money, it gets tiresome. In my mind, they're gone once they fall from their lowest peak, which is so long ago for LaMonf I've forgotten.
But then again I'm not a fanboy of any players.

I agree, players really should retire sooner, but I understand many stay to finish out various corporate contracts, have their kids see them play tennis, give employees time to line up other gigs, & squirrel away extra cash for the college fund. Others become so institutionalized from Juniors onwards, it's all they know. Tennis is their identity.

Once Monfils made those uncharacteristically negative comments about how he sucks, I knew the writing was on the wall. We often talk about injuries and age playing their part, but once you go mentally, it becomes impossible to win.

This narrative of the magic, fairytale run bookends so many careers, but also keeps players hanging on far past their so-called sell/use by date. Venus should've retired after 2017, Serena after 2019, and Nadal after his final RG. There are others to mention, of course. None of the players leave the game with the audience wanting more.

 

[zjtennis]

Monfils posted this on Twitter...his retirement plans seemingly are planned for a bit while now and was able to hide from almost everyone IMO.

 

[KlarkKent]

This thread confirms the well known fact that a large percentage of posters in here are virgins with no life.

 

[Johnny Groove]

what's wrong with announcing a swansong tour?

Some people are just bitter

 

[AntiTardDefenseSystem]

against his owner

Kinda rude, they even have the right to vote now.

(FTR it's a House MD reference)

 

[FilipoSVK]

Kinda rude, they even have the right to vote now.

(FTR it's a House MD reference)

I meant it as sarcasm, of course.

 

[AntiTardDefenseSystem]

I meant it as sarcasm, of course.

Dark humour. No pun intended

 

[AntiTardDefenseSystem]

I wouldn't exactly call him a "legend of the sport", but those who watched him will undoubtedly remember him as an extremely entertaining player. Do think he somewhat resorted to pushing when athletically he was gifted to do really well if he played attacking (that USO 14 match against Fed was a great example), but seems like that wasn't really his motivation either so who am I to knock on him.

Anyways, wonderful career, I can see him continue to do reasonably well over next year so in that sense it's one of the more happy retirements perhaps

 

[The Hero Cop Mark]

Never forget

 

[Proper]

Never forget

Poor audience who had to watch extended warm-ups.

 

[laughingcavalier]

Well, probably. Gaël wanted to go until he was 40... that will be on September 1st.

However, Paris isn't far away, and a wild card would be likely, not only as a Frenchman, but it's also where he experienced his most intense emotions... even if it won't be at Bercy.

Well then he has Shanghai & Paris next year to try & join Karlovic in winning a Masters Series match aged 40 or so.

 

[auntie janie]

Monfils posted this on Twitter...his retirement plans seemingly are planned for a bit while now and was able to hide from almost everyone IMO.

Ah bon! Tous les Mousquetaires parlent!
(Remembering their good friend, Mathieu Montcourt, too, gone way too soon. R.I.P. Mathieu)

 

[MWW]

This. He has 14 months to go. What's the point of announcing retirement so early ? So typical. The clown thinks he's some kind of God of something ?

Some people might want to get the chance to see him one last time before he finishes. Other than Frenchies.

Never forget

Madrid 2017 with Simon was peak troll match, WTA could never.

Simon won 0-6 6-0 7-6(0).