Gaël Monfils facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gaël Monfils

Monfils at the 2023 Washington Open
Full name	Gaël Sébastien Monfils
Country (sports)	France
Residence	Geneva, Switzerland
Born	(1986-09-01) 1 September 1986 (age 38) Paris, France
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Turned pro	2004
Plays	Right handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Mikael Tillström (2015–2020, 2023–) Previous coaches Thierry Champion (2004–2006) Tarik Benhabiles (2007–2008) Roger Rasheed (2008–2011) Patrick Chamagne (2011–2013) Jan de Witt (2015) Liam Smith (2019–2020) Richard Ruckelshausen (2021–2023) Günter Bresnik (2021–2023)
Prize money	US $24,119,920  24th all-time in earnings
Singles
Career record	583–346 (62.76%)
Career titles	13
Highest ranking	No. 6 (7 November 2016)
Current ranking	No. 48 (30 June 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	QF (2016, 2022)
French Open	SF (2008)
Wimbledon	4R (2018)
US Open	SF (2016)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	RR (2016)
Olympic Games	QF (2008, 2016)
Doubles
Career record	29–85
Career titles	0
Highest ranking	No. 155 (8 August 2011)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	1R (2006)
French Open	2R (2007)
US Open	1R (2005)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	2R (2020, 2024)
Mixed doubles
Career record	2–4 (33.33%)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2006)
French Open	2R (2008)
Spouse(s)	Elina Svitolina ​ (m. 2021)​

Gaël Sébastien Monfils (born 1 September 1986) is a French professional tennis player. He has been ranked as high as world No. 6 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He reached this top ranking in November 2016.

Monfils has won 13 singles titles on the ATP Tour. He has played in 35 finals during his career. His best results at the major tournaments, called Grand Slams, are reaching the semifinals twice. He made it to the semifinals at the 2008 French Open and the 2016 US Open.

In 2005, Monfils was named the ATP Newcomer of the Year. He has reached at least one ATP Tour singles final every year for 19 years in a row, from 2005 to 2023. This makes him one of only five players in the Open Era to achieve this for 19 or more seasons. He is also among the top active players with over 550 career match wins. In 2025, Monfils became the oldest champion on the ATP Tour since it started in 1990.

About Gaël Monfils

Gaël Sébastien Monfils was born on 1 September 1986 in Paris, France. He grew up in Paris. His father, Rufin Monfils, is from Guadeloupe and used to be a professional football player. His mother, Sylvette Cartesse, is from Martinique and worked as a nurse.

Gaël was a very athletic kid. He won French championships in the 100-meter race for kids under 13 and under 14. His love for tennis stopped him from becoming a professional runner. His coach even said that Monfils could have reached the Olympic 100-meter final because of his amazing talent.

Monfils is married to WTA tennis player Elina Svitolina. They announced their relationship in 2019 and got married in 2021. They have a daughter.

Gaël Monfils' Tennis Journey

Early Career and Junior Success (2002–2004)

Monfils played his first junior tennis match in January 2002 when he was 15. He quickly became a top junior player. By February 2004, he was ranked No. 1 in the world for junior players.

In 2004, he won three major junior titles: the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon. He was named the International Tennis Federation youth world champion.

Monfils officially became a professional tennis player in 2004 at age 17. He made his ATP debut at the Moselle Open in Metz, France. He won his first ATP match there and reached the quarterfinals. He ended 2004 ranked No. 239 in the world, a huge jump from No. 925 at the start of the year.

First ATP Title and Top 25 Ranking (2005–2006)

In 2005, Monfils climbed into the top 50. He won his first ATP title at the Idea Prokom Open in Sopot, Poland. He also reached two other finals that year.

In 2006, Monfils continued to improve. He reached the final in Doha, but lost to world No. 1 Roger Federer. He also made it to the semifinals of the Rome Masters, where he lost to Rafael Nadal.

At the 2006 French Open, Monfils had an exciting run. He won three five-set matches in a row, showing his incredible fitness. He reached the fourth round before losing to Novak Djokovic. After this, he reached a career-high ranking of No. 23, becoming the No. 1 French player.

Grand Slam Semifinals and Top 10 (2008–2009)

Monfils at the 2008 US Open

At the 2008 French Open, Monfils reached the semifinals for the first time at a Grand Slam. He was the first Frenchman to do so since 2001. He eventually lost to Roger Federer. Later that year, he reached the quarterfinals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In 2009, Monfils broke into the top 10 rankings. He reached his first Masters final at the Paris Masters, where he lost to Novak Djokovic. He also won his second ATP title at the Open de Moselle.

More Titles and Major Quarterfinals (2010–2016)

Monfils at the 2010 US Open

Monfils continued to reach finals and win titles. In 2010, he won his third ATP title at the Open Sud de France. He also reached the quarterfinals of the US Open, his first time reaching that stage at a major outside of the French Open.

In 2011, Monfils achieved his 200th career singles win. He reached a career-high ranking of world No. 7 in July. He won his fourth ATP title at the Stockholm Open.

The years 2012 and 2013 saw Monfils dealing with injuries, but he fought his way back into the top 40. In 2014, he won the Montpellier title and reached the quarterfinals of both the 2014 French Open and the US Open. At the US Open, he had a thrilling five-set match against Roger Federer, holding two match points before losing.

In 2016, Monfils had one of his best seasons. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 Australian Open and his third Masters 1000 final in Monte Carlo, losing to Rafael Nadal. He then won his first ATP World Tour 500 Series title at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. This was his first ATP title in over two years.

Monfils reached the semifinals of the 2016 US Open without losing a single set. He eventually lost to Novak Djokovic in a memorable match. He qualified for the 2016 ATP World Tour Finals for the first time, which is a tournament for the top 8 players of the year. He ended 2016 ranked world No. 6, his highest career ranking.

Recent Years and Milestones (2017–2025)

Monfils at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships

In 2017, Monfils reached his 400th career singles win. He won his seventh ATP title at the 2018 Qatar Open in 2018. He also reached the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time in his career.

In 2019, Monfils won his eighth ATP title at the Rotterdam Open. He returned to the top 10 rankings and reached the quarterfinals of the US Open.

The year 2020 was special as Monfils won two titles in one season for the first time: the Open Sud de France and the Rotterdam Open.

In 2021, Monfils reached his 500th career singles win, becoming the 11th active player to achieve this milestone. He also reached an ATP final in Sofia.

In 2022, Monfils won his eleventh title at the Adelaide International. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 Australian Open, his first major quarterfinal since 2019. However, he faced more injuries that year, including heel surgery.

Monfils made a strong comeback in 2023. He reached the quarterfinals at the Canadian Open. At the 2023 Stockholm Open, he won his 356th hardcourt match, setting a new record for French players. He also won the Stockholm Open title, becoming the oldest champion in the tournament's history. This win marked his 19th consecutive season reaching an ATP final.

In 2024, Monfils continued to make history. He reached the semifinals of the Qatar Open, becoming the oldest semifinalist there at 37 years old. He achieved his 550th career win at the 2024 Miami Open, becoming only the second Frenchman in the Open Era to reach this mark. He also recorded his 122nd Grand Slam win at the 2024 French Open, the most by any French player. He defeated world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Cincinnati Open, his ninth career win against a top 3 player.

In 2025, at 38 years old, Monfils became the oldest champion on the ATP Tour since 1990 by winning the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland. He also continued his impressive Grand Slam record, winning a match at the 2025 Australian Open for the 21st consecutive season.

Playing Style

Monfils sliding towards the net at the 2013 US Open

Gaël Monfils is known for his incredible athleticism and court coverage. He often slides to reach balls, even on hard courts, which earned him the nickname "Sliderman." He can quickly switch from playing defense to offense, surprising his opponents.

Monfils has a powerful forehand that can hit speeds up to 199 km/h. His serve is strong and accurate, reaching speeds of 230 km/h. He is also famous for his exciting and high-risk shots, which make his matches very entertaining to watch.

Equipment and Sponsors

Monfils has changed his sponsors over the years. He was sponsored by Nike for clothes and shoes, then switched to K-Swiss in 2010, and then to ASICS in 2013. For racquets, he used Head, then Prince, and then Wilson.

Since the start of 2022, Monfils has been sponsored by the French brand Decathlon's tennis line, Artengo, for both his clothes and racquets. He uses their TR960 Control Tour racquet.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Performance

Monfils has played in many Grand Slam tournaments throughout his career. Here's a summary of his best results:

ATP 1000 Finals

Monfils has reached three finals at the ATP Tour Masters 1000 tournaments, which are very important events in tennis.

Singles: 3 (3 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2009	Paris Masters	Hard (i)	Novak Djokovic	2–6, 7–5, 6–7(3–7)
Loss	2010	Paris Masters	Hard (i)	Robin Söderling	1–6, 6–7(1–7)
Loss	2016	Monte-Carlo Masters	Clay	Rafael Nadal	5–7, 7–5, 0–6

See also

In Spanish: Gaël Monfils para niños