Gaël Monfils’ announcement of his retirement wasn’t entirely shocking to the tennis world. At 39, the Frenchman has already outlasted many of his peers. Instead, there was a quieter kind of reflection, a recognition that tennis will soon lose one of its most distinctive characters. Many fans will not be thinking of rankings or titles, but the sliding forehands on Parisian clay, the impossible leaps at the US Open, and the way he turned stadiums into theatres.

Monfils’ career began with expectations of greatness. After sweeping three junior Grand Slam titles in 2004, he entered the main tour as the ATP Newcomer of the Year in 2005. He has reached at least one singles final on the ATP Tour every year for 19 consecutive seasons from 2005 to 2023, making him one of only five players in the Op

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