Tsitsipas and Medvedev salute retiring Monfils
Stefanos Tsitsipas called Gael Monfils one of his closest friends on tour and a rare personality whose standing compares with multiple Grand Slam champions. Daniil Medvedev also praised Monfils and noted that other retiring players such as Mikhail Kukushkin, David Goffin and Stan Wawrinka appeared content with their careers. Tsitsipas said he would miss Monfils and hoped to stay in contact with him.
Tsitsipas made the remarks in Almaty on Friday after advancing to the semifinals. He described Monfils as a close tour friend with a warm character, saying the sport will miss his humor and charisma and that Monfils commands respect comparable to players with several major titles despite never winning one.
Medvedev, meanwhile, considered the wider group of players ending their careers. He said Monfils faces a difficult transition and offered good wishes, while noting that Kukushkin, Goffin and Wawrinka seemed satisfied. Kukushkin’s final match came in Almaty on Tuesday; Goffin’s took place in Brussels on Thursday.
Monfils’s retirement may resonate most with tennis fans who followed his showmanship and with younger players who saw personality as part of competition. Tsitsipas’s and Medvedev’s comments could shape how the tour frames retirement: as a moment to honor character as well as titles. This may encourage broader appreciation of athletes whose appeal extends beyond major championships, though the effect is likely limited to tennis audiences.