Monfils Gets A Taste of What Roland-Garros Will Be Like As He Plays His Last Monte-Carlo Match

A 6-4, 6-4 loss to Alexander Bublik marked the end of the road for Gael Monfils at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, the 39-year-old Frenchman playing his 29th and final match in the principality.

After the loss the former finalist was sent off by the tournament in style, the packed house applauding as a video montage was played. Monfils later addressed the crowd and thanked them for a great ride. He first played Monte-Carlo in 2005 facing the King of Clay Rafael Nadal in his first match, and later went on to defeat Roger Federer en route to the 2015 semifinals, as well as reaching the final in Monte-Carlo in 2016, where he lost to Nadal in three sets.

“I was kindly invited [as a wild card]. It was an honour and a privilege to play in 2005, and what an opponent I had first… I immediately got to taste the best of the best,” he said in French on court.

“I think I played some of my best tennis [here]. Some great victories. I managed to win against Roger [in 2015]. They were really special moments and here I am again today trying to give you a good match. The years go by and the legs become heavier, but the love from the crowd is unique. Every time I really stepped on this court, it was beautiful.”

When asked if he thought he would be overwhelmed by emotions when he arrives in Paris next month to play Roland-Garros for the final time, Monfils said:

“I don’t know,” he said. “I am [emotional] inside, maybe I don’t show it too much but I am inside. When it gets you, it gets you, I will see.”

Emotions were flowing this week as Monfils carved out a final piece of history on the red clay of the Monte-Carlo Country Club.

Monfils became the second-oldest man to win a Masters 1000 match when he defeated Tallon Griekspoor in the first round. He also moved into first place on the all-time list for Masters 1000 match victories by French players with 145.

Svitolina: Something Special

At Indian Wells, Tennis Now asked Monfils’ wife, Elina Svitolina to talk about what it has been like to go along for the ride with her husband as he meets adoring crowds for the last time on his farewell tour.

“Beeing next to him and seeing what he’s going through of course is very special,” she said. “For me, it’s also, yeah, emotional to see, you know, the way that he’s, you know, handling this.

“Of course sometimes it can be tough for him and emotional, and I try to be there every step of the way and try to support him. I mean, I don’t think there is any other thing that I could do really, just to be there and talk sometimes, sometimes just to be in silence to let him, you know, enjoy, in a way, this last year.

“I think Europe, Roland-Garros time will be really emotional for him. So it’s gonna be a lot for us as a family, but also a lot of enjoyment, because it’s something special, you know. It’s a chapter that you will never forget.”

A special moment with Bublik

Monfils’ last season has brought out many special moments, like the one that immediately followed his 6-4 6-4 lost on Court Ranier III.

After his loss to Bublik the pair had a nice interaction at net, with Bublik reminding him that they hit together in practice ten years ago at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. They joked a bit, with Monfils telling him that he told him that clay would be his “main” or best surface, compared to grass.