Gael Monfils, atleta francês, participou de Roland Garros pela derradeira vez em sua trajetória profissional nesta segunda-feira (25). O jogador de tênis, com 39 anos, esteve à beira de uma reviravolta notável, porém foi derrotado em cinco parciais por seu conterrâneo Hugo Gaston, na primeira etapa do Grand Slam.
Gaston, com 25 anos de idade, superou o antigo sexto colocado no ranking mundial por 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0.
“Every year I come to play at Roland Garros, I get goosebumps… I will miss all of you, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Monfils said in the on-court interview, before thanking his wife Elina Svitolina, who was in the stands.
Just like his friend Stan Wawrinka, who was also eliminated in Paris this Monday, Monfils will hang up his racket at the end of this season.
After the match, the Frenchman was honored at Phillipe-Chatrier stadium.
Monfils has 13 ATP career titles, and reached the Roland Garros semifinals in 2008.
“It’s a very strange feeling, there’s joy, of course, but also sadness for Gael. I’m very sorry. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for the younger players,” said Gaston, currently 118th in the world, who faces Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the next round.
