Gael Monfils loses in 1st round in Auckland in likely his farewell season
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Defending champion Gael Monfils was eliminated in the first round of the ASB Classic on Tuesday, suffering a three-set defeat to Hungary's Fabian Marozsan. The loss comes just three days after his wife, Elina Svitolina, captured the women's singles title on the same court at this ATP-WTA combined event.
The 39-year-old Frenchman, who won the Auckland title in 2025, was competing in his first tournament since last September. Monfils showed flashes of his trademark power and athleticism, firing 10 aces and claiming the first set 7-5. However, the 26-year-old Marozsan responded with resilient baseline play and timely net interventions, rallying to secure a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory in exactly two hours.
The match carried potential historical significance as it may mark the beginning of Monfils’ farewell season on tour. Alongside Svitolina, he is part of one of the sport’s rare power couples to have simultaneously held ATP and WTA singles titles at the same tournament. Prior to Svitolina’s final on Sunday, Monfils had jokingly pressured his wife, telling her, “if you don’t win this year I don’t know what to tell you anymore.” She proceeded to win her 19th career WTA title.
“It's always special to play against Gael. He's a legend and a great player,” Marozsan said following the match.
Despite the defeat, Monfils displayed fighting spirit in the final set. After dropping his serve in the fifth game, he broke back immediately and tested Marozsan with varied pace and power. Ultimately, the Hungarian secured the decisive break at 5-4 before serving out the match.
