Challenges Faced by Gaël Monfils: Obstacles and Turning Points

Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Gaël Monfils. A timeline of obstacles and growth.

Gaël Monfils is a French professional tennis player renowned for his athleticism and entertaining style. He achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 6 in November 2016. Monfils has secured 13 ATP Tour singles titles, reaching 35 finals overall. His most notable Grand Slam performances include reaching the semifinals of the 2008 French Open and the 2016 US Open.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2008: Withdrawal from Australian Open

Monfils was forced to withdraw from the 2008 Australian Open due to a hamstring injury.

2011: AAMI Kooyong Classic Final Loss

In 2011, Gaël Monfils began the year at the AAMI Kooyong Classic, where he reached the final but lost to Lleyton Hewitt.

2011: 2011 French Open and Wimbledon Performances

In 2011, at the French Open, Gaël Monfils reached the quarterfinals, losing to Roger Federer. At Wimbledon in 2011, he was defeated in the third round by Łukasz Kubot.

2012: Madrid Masters and Injury Layoff

In 2012, Gaël Monfils reached the third round of the Madrid Masters, losing to Tomáš Berdych. Later in 2012, he was sidelined due to a knee injury.

2012: Qatar Open Final and Australian Open Third Round

In 2012, Gaël Monfils started the year by reaching the final of the Qatar Open, losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He also progressed to the third round of the 2012 Australian Open before losing to Mikhail Kukushkin.

2013: 2013 Season Start and Australian Open

In 2013, Gaël Monfils reached the quarterfinals in Doha and the semifinals in Auckland. At the 2013 Australian Open, he was defeated in the third round by Gilles Simon.

2013: French Open and Winston-Salem Final

In 2013, at the French Open, Gaël Monfils reached the third round. Later in 2013, he reached the final in Winston-Salem but had to retire due to injury.

2013: Shanghai Masters Upset and Quarterfinal

In October 2013, at the Shanghai Masters, Gaël Monfils upset Roger Federer in the third round before losing to Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

2014: US Open Quarterfinal Loss

At the 2014 US Open, Gaël Monfils reached the quarterfinals but lost to Roger Federer in five sets, despite leading by two sets.

2014: Doha Final and Australian Open Third Round

In 2014, Gaël Monfils reached the final in Doha and lost to Rafael Nadal. He was also beaten by Nadal in the third round of the 2014 Australian Open.

2014: Montpellier Win and French Open Quarterfinal

In 2014, Gaël Monfils won in Montpellier, defeating Richard Gasquet. At the 2014 French Open, he reached the quarterfinals before losing to Andy Murray.

2015: US Open Retirement and Coaching Change

In 2015, Gaël Monfils had poor performance in America due to injuries, retiring in his first-round match of the US Open. He also ended his collaboration with coach Jan de Witt.

2015: 2015 Australian Open Performance

In 2015, Gaël Monfils played his first tournament at the Australian Open. He won his first round match against Lucas Pouille in 5 sets, before losing to Jerzy Janowicz in another five setter.

2015: Monte Carlo Masters Semifinal

In 2015, at the Monte Carlo Masters, Gaël Monfils beat Andrey Kuznetsov, Roger Federer and Grigor Dimitrov but lost to Tomáš Berdych in the semifinals.

2015: Paris Masters Loss and Season Reflection

In 2015, at the Paris Masters, Gaël Monfils lost in the first round to Benoît Paire. Monfils described 2015 as a "year of regrets."

2016: ATP World Tour Finals Qualification and Withdrawal

In 2016, Gaël Monfils qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals but withdrew from the tournament with an injury.

2016: Australian Open Quarterfinals and Rotterdam Open Final

In 2016, Gaël Monfils reached the Australian Open quarterfinals, losing to Milos Raonic. He also reached the Rotterdam Open final, losing to Martin Kližan.

2016: Japan Open Semifinal and Shanghai Masters

In 2016, Gaël Monfils reached the Japan Open semifinal, losing to Nick Kyrgios. At the Shanghai Masters, he lost to David Goffin, but matched his career-high ranking of No. 7.

2016: US Open Semifinal and Controversy

In 2016, Gaël Monfils reached the US Open semifinals, losing to Novak Djokovic in a controversial match where he was criticized for his playing style.

2016: Masters Tournaments and Viral Infection

In 2016, Gaël Monfils reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells and Miami Masters. He reached the final in Monte Carlo, losing to Rafael Nadal. A viral infection caused him to withdraw from the French Open in 2016.

2016: Canadian Masters Semifinal

In 2016, Gaël Monfils reached the semifinals of the Canadian Masters after defeating Milos Raonic, but lost to Novak Djokovic.

2016: Stockholm Open Loss

In 2016, Gaël Monfils was upset by Gastão Elias at the Stockholm Open, causing his ranking to drop to No. 8.

2016: Olympics Performance

In 2016, at the Olympics, Gaël Monfils partnered with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in doubles and reached the singles quarterfinals, losing to Kei Nishikori.

October 2022: Monfils Ends His Season

On October 31, 2022, Gaël Monfils ended his season after sustaining a foot injury during his return to action at the Montreal Masters. This followed a lengthy absence and heel surgery that caused him to miss the 2022 French Open and the entire grass season.