French tennis icon Gael Monfils received a heartfelt and emotional send-off from fans at the US Open as he played his final Grand Slam match, marking the end of a spectacular and entertaining career.
IMAGE: Gael Monfils waves to the crowd as the curtain comes down on his Grand Slam career. Photograph: Amber Searls/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters
Key Points
- Gael Monfils concluded his illustrious Grand Slam career at the US Open, losing to Learner Tien in the second round.
- The French tennis star, known for his spectacular shotmaking, received an emotional farewell from the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd.
- Fans chanted “Mon-fils! Mon-fils!” and a video tribute highlighted his memorable moments over two decades.
- Monfils expressed deep gratitude to the New York crowd, calling them his “second-best crowd after Paris.”
- Young American opponent Learner Tien, who considers Monfils his childhood idol, shared a warm embrace with the retiring legend.
Gael Monfils brought the curtain down on his Grand Slam career on Thursday, bowing out of the US Open in the second round with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 defeat to American Learner Tien.
The 40-year-old, who has announced that he will retire at the end of the season, may have been playing in Tien’s home country, but it was Monfils who had the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd behind him. Fans repeatedly broke into chants of “Mon-fils! Mon-fils!” as they celebrated the Frenchman who has entertained tennis audiences for years with his spectacular shotmaking and athleticism.
Emotional Farewell From The Crowd
“I want to thank you all,” Monfils told the crowd after a video tribute on the giant screen that featured some of his most outrageous shots in New York over the last two decades.
“It’s been a long ride. I came here in 2003 as a junior and here I am in 2026, thank you very much. I felt all the love and I can tell you that you guys are my second-best crowd after Paris. You’re up there.”
Monfils was then honoured during an on-court ceremony, with USTA CEO Craig Tiley and US Open tournament director Eric Butorac presenting him with a special framed picture.
There were no visible tears from Monfils. Instead, the Frenchman greeted the moment with his trademark smile and plenty of laughter, a fitting farewell for one of tennis’ most charismatic entertainers.
Monfils Reflects On His Career
“It’s been an absolute honour to play in front of you all and to produce high-performance tennis,” said Monfils, who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday, the same day he won his first-round match.
Tien, 20, had already beaten Monfils in Montreal last month, but the American has long looked up to the Frenchman. After that match, Tien even asked his childhood idol for a signature.
A Respectful Exchange With Learner Tien
IMAGE: Learner Tien embraces Gael Monfils after the match. Photograph: Amber Searls/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters
The two got another chance to share the court in New York, and Tien was delighted that it happened before Monfils’ retirement.
“I told him when we played in Montreal that I hope we get to play one more time,” Tien said.
“And I know that we didn’t have that many opportunities left, so I’m super happy it happened here. Sorry for dropshotting you so much tonight,” the 14th seed added while looking at Monfils, who cracked a smile before sharing a warm embrace with Tien.