Gael Monfils apparently retires before planned

Paris (AP) — Gael Monfils, the French tennis player, has announced his retirement, a decision that took place earlier than anticipated. The 40-year-old Monfils, who had initially planned to retire at the end of the season, was listed by the sport's drug-testing organization as a player who has declared himself retired, with his career officially concluding from October 5.

He was scheduled to compete in a tournament in Lyon next week, but Lyon organizers confirmed on Wednesday that Monfils would not be participating, citing "personal reasons." Despite not having publicly confirmed his retirement, Monfils is unlikely to return to competition, as someone on the International Tennis Integrity Agency's list must remain available for testing for six months before being eligible to compete again.

Monfils concluded his Grand Slam tennis career with a challenging defeat to Learner Tien in the second round of the U.S. Open in September. He had previously become the oldest player to win a match at the U.S. Open since Jimmy Connors in 1992, accomplishing this feat on his 40th birthday. Throughout his career, Monfils has secured 13 titles, with his most notable Grand Slam achievements being reaching the semifinals at the 2008 French Open and the 2016 U.S. Open.

In his final season, Monfils expressed contentment with his decision to retire and has joined a Swiss company to pursue a career in wealth management.