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Gael Monfils confirms Rio Open as his first tournament of 2026 season

Originally posted on HITC | By Liam McMillen | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 11:15 AM ET

Gael Monfils is set to play one final season on the ATP Tour in 2026, with his first event now confirmed.

Monfils has announced that he will retire from tennis after the Paris Masters in 2026, bringing an end to a remarkable career.

The Frenchman has been a fixture on the ATP Tour for more than twenty years and is often mentioned among the best players never to have won a Grand Slam.

This season will be his chance to say goodbye to fans around the world, as he plays one last year before stepping away from the sport. His first tournament of 2026 is now set, and it’s an event he hasn’t won before.

Gael Monfils to open 2026 season at Rio Open

Monfils is one of the latest additions to the Rio Open field, set for February 2026. The Frenchman joins a lineup that includes Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Berrettini and Joao Fonseca at one of Brazil’s most prominent events.

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It will be his first appearance at the tournament since 2018. His only previous showing came that year, when he reached the quarterfinals before being knocked out by eventual champion Diego Schwartzman.

The veteran’s last appearance in Rio was back in 2018, where he reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual champion Diego Schwartzman.

How many ATP titles has Gael Monfils won?

It would be a storybook finish for Monfils if he could add one more title during his final season on tour. The Frenchman, currently ranked 48th in the world, has 13 ATP Tour titles to his name, including a few at the 500 level.

His most recent win came at the Auckland Open in early 2025, where he beat Zizou Bergs in the final. That victory ended a 15-month title drought that stretched back to his Stockholm Open win in 2023.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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