Gaël Monfils: “It Has Been a Helluva Long Ride” — Fan Favorite Bids Farewell to Grand Slam Stage, Reveals Post-Tennis Career in Finance

One of the most entertaining and beloved figures in modern tennis history put a bow on his Grand Slam career Thursday night at Flushing Meadows.

Gaël Monfils, who turns 40 this week and plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season, played his final major match in the second round of the US Open, falling 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 to 20-year-old American rising star Learner Tien.

Despite facing an American opponent inside Louis Armstrong Stadium, the New York crowd made its allegiance clear, chanting “Mon-fils! Mon-fils!” throughout the evening to honor the Frenchman whose electrifying athleticism, trick shots, and charismatic court presence spanned over two decades on tour.

“I want to thank you all,” Monfils said while addressing the crowd during a post-match ceremony. “It has been a long ride. I came here in 2003 for the juniors for the first time and here I am in 2026, so it’s a helluva long ride. I felt all the love and I can tell you that you guys are my second-best crowd, of course after Paris, but you are up there, so thank you so much.”

Honored by Flushing Meadows Faithful

Following match point, Monfils was recognized with a special ceremony on court, where USTA CEO Craig Tiley and US Open Tournament Director Eric Butorac presented him with a framed photograph capturing his iconic career in New York. True to his signature style, there were no tears from the French veteran—only beaming smiles, laughter, and appreciation.

“It’s been an absolute honour for me to play all these years in front of you,” added Monfils, who won his first-round match on his 40th birthday on Tuesday. “I tried my best and tried to perform high-performance tennis, but also give you a great show. You guys give me great love, I will never forget that.”

Tien, the 14th seed who also defeated Monfils in Montreal last month, shared a warm embrace with his childhood idol after asking for an autograph following their previous encounter.

“I told him when we played in Montreal that I hope we get to play one more time,” Tien said on court. “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,” Tien added with a laugh.

A Storied Legacy at the Majors

Across 18 main-draw appearances at Flushing Meadows since his 2005 main-draw debut—where he pushed a young Novak Djokovic to five sets in the first round—Monfils compiled a stellar 34-18 tournament record.

His finest New York run came in 2016, when he matched his career-best Grand Slam result by reaching the semifinals, a performance that propelled him to a career-high ranking of World No. 6. Over a decorated career, the 13-time ATP Tour titlist also reached the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2008 and captured the hearts of fans worldwide.

Next Chapter: Wealth Management in Switzerland

While tennis fans prepare to say a final goodbye to Monfils at the conclusion of the 2026 season, the Frenchman revealed in his post-match press conference that he already has his post-retirement path firmly mapped out—trading tennis whites for a business suit.

“I will work in finance. I already signed to work in wealth management in a Swiss company,” Monfils revealed with a smile. “So my next chapter [will be] working in an office and working in finance.”