Andy Roddick has started to cast doubt over whether Gael Monfils will actually be retiring this year.
Monfils announced that he would retire from tennis at the end of 2026, with the former world number six set to bring an end to his 22-year career.
The Frenchman has begun his farewell tour down under, with Monfils losing in the first round of the Australian Open.
While this is supposed to be the final Australian Open of his career, former world number one Roddick is not so sure that is going to be the case.
Andy Roddick does not think Gael Monfils is really retiring in 2026
Monfils has stated his goal to retire at the Paris Masters this year, the ATP 1000 tournament that is taking place in November.
However, after the charismatic Frenchman lost to Dane Sweeny at the Australian Open, Roddick has revealed his doubts about Monfils’ retirement.
While Monfils is set to retire this year, his wife Elina Svitolina appears to have no plans to end her career just yet.
With that in mind, Roddick, who has also commented on Stan Wawrinka’s pending retirement, believes that Monfils will be too tempted to play the Australian Open next year if his ranking allows it.
“I know Monfils is retiring, I just don’t trust anything he says!” the former US Open champion said on Served with Andy Roddick podcast. “In the nicest most playful way possible.
“Like you said [to Producer Mike] if Svitolina is going to Australia next year and he’s already down there and he’s like 90 in the world… ‘Ah f— it, I’m here!’, let’s go.”
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While Roddick has doubted the validity of his retirement plan, Monfils has already suggested that he will play a limited schedule in 2026.
Monfils is set to fall outside the top 160 after the Australian Open and will have to produce some improved results if he is to return to the top 100.
The 39-year-old is now scheduled to switch his attention from hard to clay courts, as Monfils heads to South America for the Golden Swing.
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Next month, Monfils is scheduled to compete at tournaments in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
Although Roddick is unsure of his pending retirement, Monfils actually has plans away from tennis following his career coming to an end.
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