Gael Monfils’ Asian swing got off to a nightmare start in his first-round match at the Chengdu Open.
Monfils was forced to retire due to injury in his opening clash at the ATP 250 event with Alexander Shevchenko after rolling his ankle late in the second set.
The Frenchman tried to continue, but ultimately called a halt to the contest, and the Kazakh advanced via a walkover, 6-7, 6-3, 1-0.
The defeat marks Monfils‘ fifth straight loss at tour-level events, with the 39-year-old winless since the Wimbledon championships.
Amid a poor run of form, he took to social media after his defeat to Shevchenko to send a message to his fans.
Photo by Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images
In a post on Instagram, Monfils said: “Not the best moment in my career right now, let’s be honest (a lot going on, a lot of questions… but hey).
“Not the best feelings, not much success, and today a bit of bad luck with this ankle. There are tougher periods, with ups and downs, and that’s also what sport is about: learning, moving forward, and keeping your head up.
But I want you to know that I’m doing well as a person. I feel very fortunate to still be able to live this sport at the highest level, a sport I truly love.
“Even if today the ankle stopped me, I’m extremely grateful to all the people who help and work so hard so I can try to perform at my best.
“Thank you to everyone who takes the time to send me positive messages. I read them, I feel them, and they mean a lot to me. Thank you so much for your support.”
Gael Monfils’ record on the ATP Tour this season
Despite being in the twilight of his career, Monfils has managed to tally a winning record on the ATP Tour this year and has added to his title collection.
At the ASB Classic in Auckland earlier this season, the veteran dropped just one set en route to the final, where he overcame Zizou Bergs to hoist the trophy.
Monfils’ best results outside of his triumph in New Zealand have come at the Australian Open and the Miami Open, where he reached the fourth round.
His record on tour in 2025 is 18 wins to 14 losses, and he has collected a total of $1,114,718 in prize money.