Gael Monfils has revealed that he almost quit tennis despite being ranked inside the top 10. The tour veteran got candid about a difficult period in his career when he said his position as the world No. 9 “meant nothing” and he felt the sport “wasn’t for him anymore”.
Monfils is married to fellow tennis star Elina Svitolina, and he has now explained how the WTA No. 18 twice had to convince him not to retire. Since then, he has returned to the world’s top 50, picked up his 13th career title, and earned a huge win over Carlos Alcaraz.
Aged 38, Monfils has faced plenty of setbacks since turning professional more than two decades ago. The French tennis star has shown multiple times that he can return to the top of the game – but he hasn’t always had the desire.
Monfils initially wanted to throw in the towel when the tour resumed following a shutdown during the 2020 Covid pandemic. He was in a great position returning to competition – ranked at No. 9 in the world after winning two successive titles in February.
But the world No. 42 has now revealed that he almost retired until his wife stepped in and persuaded him to keep playing.
Monfils has been dating Ukrainian star Svitolina since 2019. They got married in 2021 and welcomed their first child a year later – and the former WTA No. 3 has been crucial in his career.
“Honestly, if I hadn’t met Elina, I would’ve retired already – no doubt about it. I think I would’ve called it quits after Covid,” he told retired French tennis star Gilles Simon on his YouTube Talk Show.
“At that time, I was still in the top 10, but it meant nothing to me. Empty stadiums… it was a different energy, and I just felt it wasn’t for me anymore.”
“I started telling her that maybe it was time to stop. I couldn’t get back to my previous level, and it was deeply frustrating. She helped me get through it. Not right away, but when winter came, I started feeling that spark again. A bit of joy on court – and for me, that’s crucial.”
Monfils’ decision to keep plugging away paid off but he was once again on the verge of retirement when he picked up a career-threatening foot injury in 2022.
He continued: “Then I had a good run – climbed to No. 14, won Adelaide, reached the Australian Open quarterfinals. But then came another injury, my foot. I was out for seven months.
“On top of that, Elina was pregnant, I had a serious family issue… and honestly, I thought, this is the end. But Elina… she found the right words. She told me, ‘’Look, I’m coming back after giving birth, so can you.’ She gave me motivation.
“I told her, ‘I need a clear goal’, and we set one together. She helped me immensely. And then I said – and everyone laughed – ‘I want to qualify for the Olympics.’ At that point, I was ranked somewhere around 400.”
Monfils achieved his goal. He won the Stockholm Open at the end of 2023 while ranked at No. 140 in the world. By the time the 2024 Olympics rolled around, he had returned to the world’s top 40 and managed to compete in the Paris Games on home soil.
The Frenchman has already started 2025 on a high, lifting his 13th career title in Auckland. And he gives all the credit to Svotilina.
“My wife literally saved me. She reignited that fire in me. You know, sometimes it’s burning bright, sometimes it’s barely a flame, and she brought it back,” he said.
“So yes, to answer the question: she played a huge, decisive role in the fact that I’m still playing tennis. So thank you, Elina.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk