"I couldn't practise, couldn't move for several days" - Gael Monfils forced to cancel part of farewell tour as illness prevents him from featuring in Argentina Open

Gael Monfils has delivered a huge blow in his final season on the ATP Tour, announcing that he will be withdrawing from the Argentina Open just under a week before action commences.

The 39-year-old is competing for the last time at every event, with retirement in sight after a hugely successful career on court spanning two decades with a mix of talent and longevity complying well together to create a brilliant tennis player.

Known for his entertainment and popularity on court, fans around the world are excited to see him feature, with every tournament he plays in being his last. This was the case in the Australian swing, featuring in the ASB Classic where he tried to defend his title ahead of a final Australian Open showing.

Up next was supposed to be a trip to South America, with the first part of the Golden swing set to be played out. The Argentine capital was the next stop on the farewell tour for Monfils after he was rewarded with a wildcard for the competition. Unfortunately, this will not be utilised with illness the culprit from his venture Down Under.

He shared the news on social media to his fans, joining top seed Lorenzo Musetti in withdrawing from the tournament. "Hi guys, I'm really sorry that I need to announce that I cannot play in Buenos Aires this year. I came back home after Australia and I got sick."

Just listening to his voice gave an indication of his condition. "As you can hear and see, I'm really unwell and of course my doctor told me that I need more weeks to recover."

It has plagued havoc with the Frenchman, who was even not well enough to get up and train ahead of what had supposed to be his last ever Argentina Open. However, he is not ruling out appearing at the event after he retires. "I couldn't practise, couldn't move for several days. I'm really sorry that I have to announce that I cannot play. Hopefully, I will come after my career to visit your beautiful tournament. I wish you all a great week and hopefully I see you soon guys."

It has not been the start to 2026 that Monfils was looking for. His final years on tour have seen injuries crop up due to his age, and his progress slowly going down. He was still winning titles and going deep in competitions, competing against the best players in the world while putting on a show for the eagerly anticipated audience.

This year, the entertainment has most certainly been there, but the results have not. He began with his title defence in the ASB Classic over in Auckland, New Zealand. It was the last title that he won, and he was hoping to re-produce the goods to clinch another title. However, his dream was instantly ended in a tight three-set defeat to Fabian Marozsan in the opening match.

He then followed with what would be his last venture to Melbourne Park as a player, competing in a final Australian Open. It was the scene of his last major quarter-final appearance back in 2022, a stage he made it to on a brace of occasions. This time, it would be a first opening round exit in the Australian Open since 2021. He would take the first set against Dane Sweeny but was pegged back in a four hour thriller which saw some great tennis from both, but the Aussie in the end prevailing.

Monfils is now on a run of seven straight defeats on the ATP Tour, including six first round defeats on the spin. His last win on the ATP Circuit came in the opening round of Wimbledon, where he just about managed to get past fellow Frenchman Ugo Humbert in five sets. If well enough, he will next compete in the Mexican Open at the end of the month.