It’s a new blow for Gaël Monfils and bad news for French tennis. While leading 3-1 in his Franco-French duel against his compatriot Ugo Humbert in the first round of the Miami tournament, the Frenchman felt a sharp pain in his right wrist. Unable to play normally despite the care of a physiotherapist, he finally decided to lay down his arms. At 3-3, he walked towards the referee and saluted his opponent with his… left hand.
The 36-year-old Frenchman – currently 280th in the world – walked out grimacing in pain. It was only the third game for the former world No. 6 (in 2016) since his retirement in the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 in Canada last August. In Indian Wells in early March, Monfils lost in the first round to Australian Jordan Thompson in straight sets.
“I felt a big discharge on a serve and I tried a drop shot behind because I immediately felt it was not good, said the interested party in the mixed zone after the match. I hurt my hand a bit last week (at the Phoenix Challenger where he lost in 3 sets against Alexander Shevchenko) so whether it’s due to that or not, I’m not sure. I got manipulated before I eventually got strapped, but I think it’s deeper than just manipulation. I couldn’t do forehands, only backhands. »
“I will do everything to keep playing. I love what I do, I love my sport”
This is his 24th retirement from the main circuit since the start of his long career. He thus equals the record of the German Tommy Haas and the Croatian Janko Tipsarevic. A record which he would have done well. Especially with this new injury, it is the question of his future on the courts that arises. Especially since his physique has not spared him for months. Last year, he had heel surgery and missed Roland-Garros and the whole season on grass. When he returned after a three-month absence in Montreal, he injured his foot and ended his season in October.
“We are going to do exams, and we will see what happens, continued Monfils to AFP. Of course, you have goals and you want to achieve them. But sometimes you have to take a step back and see. And then, of course, if one day I can’t anymore, I can’t anymore. But I will do everything to keep playing. I like what I do. I love my sport”.
After the end of the careers of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon, Monfils is the last member of the Musketeers, with Richard Gasquet to prolong the pleasure and push back the retirement age. “You know, I could have quit a long time ago, but I still love it. I still have so much fun, ”assured Monfils
For his part Ugo Humbert (78th in the world) will face the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic (35th), exempted from the first round.