French veteran Gaël Monfils exits Grand Slam tennis after US Open defeat
Translated from Danish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
- Gaël Monfils lost 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 to 20-year-old American Learner Tien at the US Open.
- Monfils, who made his 18th US Open appearance, has said 2026 will be his final year as a professional.
- The Frenchman reached the US Open semifinals in 2016 and thanked New York fans after his defeat.
Gaël Monfils’ Grand Slam career ended in New York with a straight-set loss to American teenager Learner Tien, but the French veteran left to a tribute from the crowd that had followed him for two decades.
Tien, 20, beat the 40-year-old Monfils 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 16 minutes. The American moved Monfils around the court and finished points with powerful forehands, while saving all eight break points he faced.
The New York audience, however, largely backed Monfils rather than the American player. Since making his US Open debut in 2005, Monfils has built a large following in the city, including when he has faced American opponents. After the match, organizers showed a montage of highlights from his career, including some of his biggest moments.
It has been a long journey.
“It has been a long journey,” Monfils told the crowd. “I have felt all the love this year. You are my second-best crowd. Of course, you cannot beat Paris, but you are up there.”
This was Monfils’ 18th US Open appearance. He lost his debut to Novak Djokovic in five sets and reached his best result in New York in 2016, when Djokovic again stopped him in the semifinals. Tien will next play Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic.
I have felt all the love this year. You are my second-best crowd. Of course, you cannot beat Paris, but you are up there.
Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.