Monfils retires without naming Svitolina in emotional speech

Gael Monfils failed to mention Elina Svitolina in his heartbreaking retirement speech at the Paris Masters on Tuesday evening.

The former world No. 6 was honored with a ceremony between the two night-session matches.

He paid a touching tribute to their four-year-old daughter, Skai.

He thanked his parents, his coaches, the tournament director, and the Parisian public.

He did not say Svitolina's name once.

Monfils addressed the crowd in his native French.

Commentator Mikey Perera translated for viewers watching the World Feed.

"Thanks to you," Monfils said.

"It's not an easy moment for me."

"Thanks to the Parisian public."

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

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

"I want to thank all of you here."

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

The 13-time title winner also paid tribute to his coaches and others involved in his career.

"These past few weeks have been hard for me," he added.

"When I see pictures of what I've accomplished, I always tried my best."

"I'm very at peace with what I've done."

"I've said, Wow, what a road I travelled."

"I've been lucky to be where I was."

"Thank you to all these people."

"I can't say every name, but thank you."

Then he turned to his parents.

"Thanks to my parents," Monfils said.

"My mum is with my daughter."

"My father is here."

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

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

He saved his most emotional words for Skai.

Monfils recalled a conversation in which Skai expressed her desire to one day become a tennis champion.

"Skai, your father was a tennis player," he said.

"He loved tennis."

"He grew up in Paris, where he had wonderful support."

"From the bottom of my heart, I hope that you will become a great champion in everything you do, and that one day you will play here, in Paris."

He added that he wanted to dedicate the "final stage of his career" to his daughter.

"Today is a special date for our family, because exactly eight years ago I began a relationship with your mother," he said.

He acknowledged Svitolina indirectly with that line about the anniversary.

But he never said her name.

The omission did not go unnoticed.

Monfils and Svitolina announced their separation on October 5 in a joint statement on social media.

Both have since confirmed that their personal situation was the reason the Frenchman ended his career abruptly.

Monfils explained that he struggled to train or even pick up a racket after the split.

He informed the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) of his retirement on October 5.

The 40-year-old was still able to say goodbye to the professional tennis tour at the Paris Masters, albeit without competing.

Svitolina, meanwhile, is preparing for her final tournament of the season at the WTA Finals.

The Ukrainian star qualified for the event weeks ago.

She will make her first appearance at the WTA Finals in 2026 since the 2019 season.

Svitolina will compete against Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula, Linda Noskova, and Karolina Muchova.

She will do so without her normal coach Andrew Bettles.

Bettles' wife is pregnant and due to give birth this week.

Svitolina has opted for Sergiy Stakhovsky as her coach for the WTA Finals.

Stakhovsky is a former ATP Tour star who retired in 2022.

He reached a career ranking high of world No. 31.

He claimed four ATP titles in Zagreb, St Petersburg, Rosmalen, and Connecticut.

He famously beat Roger Federer in the third round of Wimbledon in 2013.

He also beat Stan Wawrinka in Marseille in 2015.

"Sergiy immediately came to mind because I've known him for a very long time," Svitolina said.

"We train together a lot whenever I'm in Ukraine, and he's already been helping me anyway."

"For me, it was a very easy decision."

"It was also great that we had the opportunity to work together at the Billie Jean King Cup."

"He got to see how different players compete and became more involved in tennis again."

"So it was an easy choice for me, and I'm happy he agreed to help me this week."

Svitolina will continue to work with British coach Bettles when she returns to action in the 2027 season, in the run-up to the Australian Open.

Bettles has been working with the world No. 6 since she returned to the Tour in the 2025 season, with incredibly successful results.

Svitolina has won three titles this year.

On October 19, Svitolina posted on Instagram explaining the end of her marriage.

She said she needed to find her way back to herself.

Her message had a notably different tone from her earlier, more "brutal" break-up post.

Monfils' retirement speech, meanwhile, left fans and commentators parsing every word.

He thanked the Parisian public.

He thanked his coaches.

He thanked his parents.

He dedicated his farewell to his daughter.

He alluded to the tough few weeks he had endured.

He mentioned the date he began his relationship with Svitolina.

But he never said her name.

The contrast between the two public statements is now a major talking point in the tennis world.

Monfils' career spanned 22 years as a professional.

He reached a career-high ranking of world No. 6.

He won 13 ATP titles.

He first came to the Paris Masters in 2000 and played his first match there in 2004.

His final appearance was in 2026, in a ceremony rather than a match.

"I've said, Wow, what a road I travelled," Monfils said.