Last man standing
UTS Frankfurt, broadcast live on Tennis Channel DE from October 18-20, features a host of big names alongside Monfils, including Ben Shelton, Jan-Lennard Struff and Denis Shapovalov. It is also the final professional appearance in Germany for 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who will retire from the Tour after next week’s ATP 500 in Vienna.
“I think everyone will tell you, Domi is super nice. He always has a big smile, a very shy guy sometimes, but when you get to know him better, he’s a very funny character,” Monfils said with a smile.
“As a player he’s a monster, he could play anywhere. At first, people wanted him to play only on clay. And of course, on clay he was incredible. But on hard court, he won at Indian Wells and made the final of the Australian Open. And he is a Grand Slam champion at the US Open, so his career is incredible,” he added.
We will miss him and I always say it’s a little too soon because he’s still quite young. We will miss him a lot because he brings a different energy.
Thiem’s retirement follows Rafael Nadal’s decision to make November’s Davis Cup his final tournament. Roger Federer and Andy Murray, with whom Monfils grew up on Tour, have also hung up their racquets in the past two years. So, how does the Frenchman feel about being one of the “last men standing” of his generation?
Lucky. I just feel lucky, to be honest, because I don’t really know exactly why they all wanted to stop, but some of them, it was because of injuries.
“That’s why I felt a bit lucky to still be able to play a bit more until now because Rafa, I think, was struggling a bit, Roger, obviously, and of course, Andy, the same. So, so far, I feel lucky.
