Gael Monfils has entered retirement earlier than he had planned. The sport’s drug-testing organization, the International Tennis Integrity Agency, lists the 40-year-old Frenchman among players who have declared themselves retired, with his career officially over from Oct. 5.
Monfils had planned to retire at the end of the season. He had received a wild card for a tournament in Lyon next week and was widely expected to end his career in front of his home fans at the Paris Masters, which begins Oct. 31. He is currently ranked 254th. Lyon organizers said on Wednesday that Monfils will not play, citing “personal reasons.”
A Quiet Exit
Monfils has not publicly confirmed that he has retired. Players on the integrity agency’s list must be available for testing for six months before they can return to competition, which makes a comeback unlikely.
Monfils played his last Grand Slam match at the U.S. Open in September, where he lost a hard-fought second-round match to Learner Tien. Before bowing out, he became the oldest man to win a match at the tournament since Jimmy Connors in 1992, who also achieved the feat on his 40th birthday.
A Storied Career
Monfils won 13 titles over his career and reached a former No. 6 ranking. His best Grand Slam results came in two semifinals, at the 2008 French Open and the 2016 U.S. Open.
Monfils has said he is at peace with his decision to retire. He has signed with a Swiss company to work in wealth management.