PARIS (AP) — French tennis player Gael Monfils has entered retirement, a move that came a bit earlier than what was expected.
The 40-year-old Monfils, who had planned to retire at the end of the season, is being listed by the sport’s drug-testing organization among the players who have declared themselves retired, with his career officially over from Oct. 5.
The former No. 6-ranked player had received a wild card for a tournament in Lyon next week and was widely expected to end his career in front of his home fans at the Paris Masters from Oct. 31. He is currently ranked 254th.
Lyon organizers said on Wednesday that Monfils won't be playing, citing “personal reasons."
Monfils has not publicly confirmed he has retired. But someone on the International Tennis Integrity Agency's list needs to be available for testing for six months before they are allowed to return to competition, making the possibility of a comeback unlikely.
Monfils bid adieu to Grand Slam tennis with a hard-fought loss to Learner Tien in the second round of the U.S. Open in September. Before bowing out, he became the oldest man to win a match at the tournament since Jimmy Connors in 1992, who also did so on his 40th birthday.
Monfils has won 13 titles. His best results at Grand Slam tournaments are two semifinals, at the 2008 French Open and 2016 U.S. Open.
Monfils previously said he was at peace with the decision to retire and has signed on with a Swiss company to work in wealth management.
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