Novak Djokovic penned a beautiful tribute to Gael Monfils following his retirement announcement as the Serb hailed the Frenchman's game but also his charismatic personality.
Monfils, who became a professional tennis player in 2004, announced on Wednesday that the 2026 season would be his last in pro tennis. It comes exactly a month after the Frenchman turned 39, and only a week after he picked up his fifth consecutive defeat.
"Now, after celebrating my 39th birthday just a month ago, I'd like to share that the year ahead will be my last as a professional tennis player," the 13-time ATP champion announced on Wednesday.
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Djokovic to Monfils: What a treat it was to watch you
Reacting to the Frenchman's retirement announcement, the record 24-time Grand Slam champion wrote: "LaMonf What a treat was to watch you every match. You are an amazing human being that brings joy to people on and off the court. That counts more then anything else. Tennis wise, your athleticism is off the charts. One of the best I have ever seen in all sports. Thank you for all the great battles over the years we had and enjoy your last dance, my friend."
As you probably know, Monfils had an outstanding junior career and he was widely tipped to do major things in tennis. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, he never managed to reach those heights as he only made two Grand Slam semifinals, and his career high ranking saw him hold the world No. 6 spot.
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Throughout his entire career, Monfils has been known as a showman and that made him a fan favorite wherever he went. However, it is not a secret that he also drew certain criticism for such a personality, with some arguing that being "unserious" at times prevented him from winning a Grand Slam.
When it comes to his matches against Djokovic, Monfils has never had success, losing 20 times in as many matches against the record 24-time Grand Slam champion.
