When his Grand Slam career came to an end on Thursday night in Queens, Gael Monfils was feted by the New York fans, shown a video montage and cheered off the court. It was a beautiful scene, one of too many to count, for the magical Frenchman.
Monfils, who fell to Learner Tien, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3, in Louis Armstrong Stadium, ends his Grand Slam career with 131 Grand Slam wins and 34 at the US Open – both numbers rank highest among Frenchman in the Open Era.
Asked how he would like to be remembered, Monfils said it is not up to him. He just was happy to be himself and let his life play out with joy and dynamism on the biggest stages in tennis.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Monfils said, when asked how he wants people to remember his career. “The way they want, to be honest. The way they want.
“I’m just me, Gael Monfils. I think I have been the same since I came on tour with a lot of joy, and then I feel like you don’t have to tell anyone how they want to remember you.
“I think some people might like me, some not. Some people think I’m fun, some not. Some people think that I entertain them, some maybe not. So I’m all right with everything, to be honest.”
Monfils, who will finish his career at the end of the season at the Paris Rolex Masters in Bercy, will be remembered as one of the greatest showman and athletic phenoms that the sport has ever seen. He was a constant source of joy for fans and peers alike, and many have said that there is no one on tour who ever said a bad thing about him.
“I’m just happy that I know the most important thing for me is how my family lived all these years and how they will remember this unbelievable ride,” the 40-year-old said. “That was the most important thing for me.”
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