Gael Monfils has always thrilled crowds with his athleticism and charisma. Now, the Frenchman is enjoying a milestone that speaks to something deeper - his outstanding longevity, resilience and a career carved through persistence as much as talent.
Monfils has achieved 1000 weeks inside the top-100, becoming only the fifth player in ATP ranking history to get on that list. The exclusive list he joins - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andre Agassi - highlights just how extraordinary the accomplishment is.
Gael cracked the top-100 in May 2005 at 18. The moment marked the start of a journey stretching across generations and decades. Over twenty years later, the Frenchman remains competitive.
The veteran still wins and carves space for his artistry on the sport's biggest stages. His path was anything but smooth following massive setbacks due to injuries. However, he had only two periods outside the top-100 over the years.
Gael stepped away for 14 weeks in 2013 and 38 more in 2023. However, he overcame that latter scare and still wrapped up the year in the top-100 at 37. Monfils made a thrilling start to the 2025 season.
He conquered an ATP 250 event in Auckland and became one of the oldest winner of an ATP title in the Open era. The veteran would collect 18 ATP victories and settled in the top-70.
Thus, Gael secured his 21st consecutive year-end top-100 season, a streak matched by only a handful of players in tennis history. After over two decades as a pro, Monfils will end his career in 2026.
Before that, he is celebrating a massive milestone and the story behind it that includes athletic brilliance, unforgettable showmanship and unbroken relevance despite all the issues.
A thousand weeks after cracking the elite group, Gael remains one of the sport's most enduring performers, and one if its most beloved!
