Monfils breaks his silence and explains why he brought forward his retirement

Gael Monfils has responded to one of the most unexpected decisions in recent days in the world of tennis. The Frenchman, who had planned to say goodbye to the circuit at the end of the season, decided to bring forward his professional retirement after separating from Elina Svitolina, his partner of eight years. In a live broadcast via Twitch, the former world number six explained how the emotional blow ultimately affected his sporting continuity.

"The separation from Elina hurt me a lot. We are human, we have our own problems, and we do not always control what we want," Monfils admitted, according to the French media We Love Tennis. The player acknowledged that he was going through a complicated moment, where he found it difficult to train normally, eat well, and maintain the psychological stability needed to compete.

Monfils explains why he brought forward his retirement

The decision was not easy. Monfils, 40, wanted to complete his schedule and say goodbye to the fans at tournaments like the Paris Masters 1000, where he was expected to receive the affection of the French crowd. However, his personal situation forced him to rethink his priorities. "I wondered if I would be strong enough to train and prepare. When you are emotionally affected and have to project yourself into the game, it simply seemed impossible to play," he explained.

The Frenchman also wanted to publicly protect his ex-partner, who had received criticism on social media after announcing the breakup. Monfils insisted that Svitolina had done nothing wrong and that he respected her decision, despite the pain it had caused him. They both have a daughter, Skai, and have made it clear that they will continue to be a family.

Monfils confirmed that his retirement became effective on October 5, before the news became public. His farewell thus comes in a very different manner than he had imagined for the end of a career marked by spectacle, longevity, and connection with the audience. Tennis loses one of its most charismatic characters, but the Frenchman's confession reminds us that, even for elite athletes, there are moments when life weighs more than competition.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Monfils rompe su silencio y explica por qué adelantó su retirada