Paris (France) (AFP) - Gaël Monfils, who recently retired from tennis after a 22-year playing career, has been named captain of the French Davis Cup team, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) announced on Saturday.
First modification: 11/09/2026 - 12:58
The 40-year-old succeeds Paul-Henri Mathieu, who had held the position for the last three years.
"It is an immense pride to become captain of the French team," said Monfils in the statement published by the FFT.
"I want to build a true collective project and create the dynamic that allows us to win titles together," he added.
The popular French tennis player went on a long farewell tour this season, before quietly ending his career by withdrawing from the list of active players before anti-doping authorities last month.
He was expected to make appearances in Lyon and the Paris Masters, but confirmed his retirement on October 26, after his wife, Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina, announced their separation.
Monfils won 13 ATP titles during his career, was a Grand Slam semi-finalist twice (at Roland Garros in 2008 and at the US Open in 2016), and despite being part of a great generation of French tennis players (with Richard Gasquet, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon), known as the Four Musketeers, he never won the Davis Cup, despite playing in the finals in 2010 and 2014.
He will have time to adapt to his new role as France will not return to Davis Cup action until February 2027, having failed to qualify for the Finals in Bologna.
© 2026 AFP
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