Gael Monfils Honors Daughter Skai In Paris Masters Farewell Without Mentioning Elina Svitolina

During his official retirement ceremony at the Paris Masters, 40-year-old Gael Monfils gave an emotional on-court tribute to his daughter Skai while notably making no direct mention of Elina Svitolina.

The former world No. 6 stood in front of an adoring home crowd to mark the conclusion of a celebrated 22-year professional career.

The special ceremony took place on Tuesday evening, positioned between the two marquee night-session matches inside the arena.

While Monfils was originally expected to officially end his competitive playing journey at the tournament, he did not pick up a racket to compete in the main draw.

Instead, he walked out under the lights purely to say his final goodbyes to the Parisian public that had championed him since his youth.

Taking the microphone, the French veteran delivered heartfelt reflections that captured both the magic and the intense personal strain of recent weeks.

TRIBUTE TO SKAI UNDER THE PARIS LIGHTS

The central focus of Monfils' emotional address was his four-year-old daughter, Skai.

He revealed a playful yet tender conversation that took place before he stepped out onto the court.

"Before I go, my little girl, Skai, she wanted me to talk about her! 'You don't talk enough about me, dad, so you have to talk about me'," Monfils told the laughing and cheering crowd.

Monfils spoke directly to the fans in his native French, with world feed commentator Mikey Perera translating the poignant moments live for global viewers.

The Frenchman expressed deep gratitude for the enduring love he received over more than two decades on the ATP Tour.

"Thanks to you," Monfils said during the ceremony.

"It's not an easy moment for me,

"Thanks to the Parisian public."

He paused to absorb the applause before emphasizing how much the fans meant to his entire journey.

"I'd like to thank you for 22 years of my career being a professional player," Monfils stated.

"22 great years that I couldn't have possibly dreamed of."

"I want to thank all of you here," he continued.

"It's thanks to you that I've been able to realise the dreams of those 22 years."

NO MENTION OF SVITOLINA

Despite the deeply reflective nature of the speech, spectators and commentators quickly noted the total omission of his wife of five years, WTA star Elina Svitolina.

Monfils made no direct mention of the Ukrainian tennis standout during his farewell address.

Instead, he alluded only broadly to the difficult circumstances that had enveloped his life off the court in recent weeks.

"These past few weeks have been hard for me," Monfils explained to the crowd.

The high-profile couple had publicly announced their marital separation through a joint statement posted on social media earlier in the autumn.

The announcement came after more than five years of marriage and sent shockwaves through the global tennis community.

Both players subsequently confirmed that their personal situation was the decisive factor behind Monfils ending his tennis career so abruptly.

Monfils had openly admitted in recent weeks that he struggled to maintain his daily training routine following the split.

The Frenchman revealed that the emotional toll became so heavy that he struggled to even pick up a tennis racket.

He also acknowledged that he had been eating less while trying to process the intense emotional fallout from the end of their relationship.

AN ABRUPT DECISION AND THE ITIA

The formal process of Monfils' retirement had unfolded quietly weeks before the Paris ceremony.

On October 5, Monfils officially submitted his retirement notification to the International Tennis Integrity Agency.

Under international tennis governance, notifying the ITIA formally removes an active athlete from mandatory drug-testing pools and registers their departure from competitive professional status.

The sudden filing meant fans would not see him play one last tournament match on the court where he had provided so many memories.

While the timing caught many observers by surprise, the emotional weight behind the decision soon became evident.

After their joint split statement, Svitolina faced severe public scrutiny and online backlash regarding her initial post.

In that message, Svitolina had cited the lingering emotional scars caused by the Russia-Ukraine war and how that ongoing trauma took a toll on her personal life.

Monfils stepped forward to publicly defend Svitolina amid the criticism, emphasizing mutual respect even as their marriage ended.

Both athletes confirmed their steadfast commitment to co-parenting their daughter Skai as they navigate their separate paths forward.

FAMILY AND LEADERSHIP ON COURT

During his time on the microphone in Paris, Monfils made sure to acknowledge the family members who stood by him from the very beginning.

He noted that while his mother was away looking after Skai, his father was in attendance inside the arena to share the milestone.

"Thanks to my parents," Monfils said gratefully.

"My mum is with my daughter."

"My father is here," he pointed out to the arena.

He reflected on his extensive history inside the prestigious Paris venue, tracing his journey across multiple eras of French tennis.

"I first came here in 2000, played for the first time in 2004," Monfils remembered.

"Now I'm here in 2026 and it's thanks to you, mum and dad."

Monfils also expressed his deep appreciation for the tournament leadership who encouraged him to take the court one final time.

He specifically named Paris Masters tournament director Cedric Pioline and French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton.

Monfils revealed that both men were instrumental in convincing him to appear before the public despite his emotional hesitations.

"I'd like to thank these two people," Monfils said, turning his focus toward Pioline and Moretton.

"They've helped me come in front of you tonight and say goodbye."

FEAR AND GRATITUDE

Following the ceremony, Monfils took to Instagram on Wednesday night to share the raw emotions he experienced behind the scenes.

He confessed that he was genuinely terrified to face the crowd given everything he had endured over the preceding weeks.

"I'll be honest with you: I was scared to come," Monfils wrote in his post.

"These last few weeks have been emotionally draining, and I didn't dare come and see you all."

"Then I arrived, and it was a magical moment," he added.

"You were extraordinary."

He described the overwhelming feeling of hearing the fans roar for him one final time in his home city.

"Last night, at the Rolex, I experienced one of the most wonderful moments of my life on a tennis court," Monfils shared.

"Today, I can still hear your voices in my head, and I'm still struggling to find the right words."

A REMARKABLE 22-YEAR LEGACY

Monfils retires as one of the most athletic and electrifying performers in modern tennis history.

Over a professional career spanning 22 seasons, he captured 13 ATP Tour singles titles.