Gael Monfils has played his last-ever match at the Monte Carlo Masters after losing to Alexander Bublik in round two.
Monfils received a wildcard for the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, which the Frenchman started in dream fashion.
He defeated Tallon Griekspoor 6-7(7-9), 6-1, 6-4 in an epic match, setting up a second round clash with eighth seed Bublik.
But the Kazakhstan star proved too good for the ATP veteran at the Monte Carlo Masters, where Bublik emerged victorious 6-4, 6-4.
And it was a more emotional loss than usual for Monfils, who has now issued a lengthy message on social media to share his true feelings.
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Gael Monfils messages fans after final Monte Carlo Masters match
Monfils posted on Instagram: “Monte Carlo. One last time. I’m not going to pretend this is just another tournament, because it never was.
“Monte Carlo is a magnificent tournament. The sea, the courts, the air, the atmosphere… there’s something unique here, something that hits differently.
“I’ve lived moments here that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Wins that made me feel alive, losses that made me stronger, crowds that lifted me up.
“This tournament gave me so much, and I owe it so much in return. Today I lost, and that’s ok.
“What matters is that I got to step onto this court one last time, give everything I had, and feel all of it one more time. It was a beautiful moment, truly.
“Thank you to the organization for having me one last time. Thank you to the crowd for all these years of love and support.
“Thank you to Monaco for everything this city has given me. This was my last dance here, and I lived it to the fullest.”
Gael Monfils ‘lacked a bit of energy’ in loss to Alexander Bublik
At 39 years old, Monfils is currently playing out his last season in professional tennis, from which he clearly wants no regrets.
The legendary figure certainly left everything on the court in Monte Carlo, particularly after two hours and 15 minutes against Griekspoor.
That mammoth effort left him understandably fatigued against Bublik, but he still managed to produce an admirable display.
Monfils commented after his emotional exit: “I remember every match I played, honestly, from the first to the last.
“Every moment I was able to step on that beautiful court. The chance of having played the tournament 13 times, I’m going to remember a bit of all that.
“Today, he played a solid match. Not many mistakes. He was quite precise in what he did. I struggled a bit today. I lacked a bit of energy.”
Monfils leaves with a 16-13 record at the Monte Carlo Masters, at which he most notably reached the final in 2016.
But the 13-time ATP champion and former world number six was edged out by clay-court specialist Rafael Nadal.
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