{"id":1817782,"date":"2026-03-10T11:00:27","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T08:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1817782"},"modified":"2026-03-10T11:00:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T08:00:27","slug":"novak-djokovic-pays-tribute-to-retiring-gael-monfils-after-frenchmans-indian-wells-farewell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1817782","title":{"rendered":"Novak Djokovic pays tribute to retiring Gael Monfils after Frenchman&#8217;s Indian Wells farewell"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Novak Djokovic pays tribute to retiring Gael Monfils after Frenchman\u2019s Indian Wells farewell<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/ewan-west\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Ewan West                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"10 Mar 2026 11:00 AM\" data-ps-date=\"10 Mar 2026 11:00 AM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1773140427\"><br \/>\n                            10 Mar 2026 11:00 AM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-tribute-message-gael-monfils-indian-wells-farewell\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to facebook\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fnovak-djokovic-tribute-message-gael-monfils-indian-wells-farewell\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to twitter\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fnovak-djokovic-tribute-message-gael-monfils-indian-wells-farewell\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to linkedin\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/\/send\/?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fnovak-djokovic-tribute-message-gael-monfils-indian-wells-farewell\" aria-label=\"Share to whatsapp\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Fnovak-djokovic-tribute-message-gael-monfils-indian-wells-farewell\" aria-label=\"Share to flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Novak Djokovic pays tribute to retiring Gael Monfils after Frenchman\u2019s Indian Wells farewell\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/images.ps-aws.com\/c?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Fcontent%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F12%2FDjokovic-Monfils-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Novak Djokovic with Gael Monfils inset                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\">\n<p>Novak Djokovic has lauded the retiring Gael Monfils as a player and person in a warm tribute after the Frenchman\u2019s last-ever Indian Wells campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Monfils, who is one of the most beloved players of his generation, announced in October that he would hang up his rackets at the end of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>The 39-year-old made his farewell at the Indian Wells Open after a three-set second round defeat to world No 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime last week.<\/p>\n<p>The Frenchman, who is currently ranked 148th, has won 13 ATP Tour singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of world No 6 during a glittering career that began in 2004.<\/p>\n<p>During a press conference in Indian Wells, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/novak-djokovic\">Djokovic<\/a> was asked to share some words about Monfils.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the rare guys that is older than me on the tour (smiling), with [Stan] Wawrinka and Gael,\u201d said the 24-time Grand Slam winner.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI mean, these guys, we\u2019re talking about Gael now, he deserves every applause and every credit out there for not just what he has done on the tennis court and with his athleticism that was off the charts, I mean, one of the most athletic tennis players ever to hold the racquet, in my opinion, and one of the most exciting players to watch.<\/p>\n<h2>ATP Tour News<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/juan-carlos-ferrero-carlos-alcaraz-surpassing-novak-djokovic-grand-slams-goat\"><strong>Juan Carlos Ferrero answers if Carlos Alcaraz can win more Grand Slams than Novak Djokovic<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-jack-draper-indian-wells-clash\"><strong>Why Novak Djokovic\u2019s next match at Indian Wells will provide a big pointer for both players<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Want more from Tennis365? Add us as <a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\">a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for tennis coverage you can trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI always love, I mean, I think there is no one who doesn\u2019t like watching Gael play tennis because you never know what to expect. I think that\u2019s what brought a lot of interest and also a lot of smiles to people when they watch him play.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut also, his character features and values. You know, he\u2019s such a nice guy, and it\u2019s, like, literally no one that I know in the last 20 years that has gotten into something negative or some kind of conflict with him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat speaks volumes about him, who he is as a person, and always had tremendous respect by all of the fellow tennis players. You know, everyone loves him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe deserves to play this year the way he wants to play and to go out from tennis and say good-bye in a way that he feels that it\u2019s fit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI hope the crowd will give him, in every tournament, a proper support that he deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>READ NEXT: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/atp-miami-open-entry-list-2026\">ATP Miami Open 2026 Entry List: Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic headline as 30 of top 32 set to star<\/a><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Novak Djokovic pays tribute to retiring Gael Monfils after Frenchman\u2019s Indian Wells farewell Ewan West 10 Mar 2026 11:00 AM Novak Djokovic with Gael Monfils inset Novak Djokovic has lauded the retiring Gael Monfils as a player and person in a warm tribute after the Frenchman\u2019s last-ever Indian Wells campaign. Monfils, who is one of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-1817782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1817782"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817782\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1817782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1817782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1817782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}