Gael Monfils has confirmed he will end his iconic tennis career at the end of the 2026 season.
Monfils has already played a number of tournaments in his farewell year, including his final-ever Australian Open match.
The star is widely considered one of the best players to never win a Grand Slam, with two semi-final appearances to his name at Roland Garros and the US Open.
Speaking about Monfils’ legacy, his long-time friend Nick Kyrgios has revealed whether the Frenchman’s career is tainted by the fact he never won a major tournament.
Nick Kyrgios says Gael Monfils has nothing to prove in tennis
Monfils’ 22-year career has seen him lift 13 ATP titles and reach a career ranking high of world number six in 2016.
Despite his inability to win a Grand Slam, Kyrgios believes he still added just as much to the sport as some of the all-time greats.
What would be a successful season for Nick Kyrgios in 2026?
Speaking at the Australian Open, he said: “I think his legacy is that people can do it that way. Not everyone is Roger. Not everyone is Rafa. Not everyone is Djokovic.
“You can go out and enjoy yourself and be yourself and have fun. People have said Monfils, Kyrgios, we never lived up to our talents, but if you look at his career now, he’s got an amazing résumé.
“He’s got nothing, I don’t think, anything more to prove. He’s had a great career. For me, I just wanted to say good-bye because he was a big idol for me growing up, so yeah.”
Monfils will next play the Argentina Open and the Brazilian Open as part of South America’s ‘Golden Swing’.
Gael Monfils and Nick Kyrgios’ sole doubles outing
Despite their long-time friendship on the ATP Tour, Monfils and Kyrgios’ one and only doubles outing came in the twilight of their careers.
Monfils partnered with Kyrgios at the Washington Open in 2025 for the Australian’s first match since playing the Miami Open months prior.
Kyrgios and Monfils played Hugo Nys and Édouard Roger-Vasselin, but were quickly dispatched by a scoreline of 6-2, 6-2.
On social media straight after the match, Kyrgios said: “Sorry, it’s on me—I was playing on one leg. But Gaël was yelling at me on the court.”
Monfils, meanwhile, said the pair got “destroyed” during the match in the capital of the United States of America.
