Gael Monfils bid farewell to the Mutua Madrid Open on Thursday, April 23, 2026, after a first-round loss to Argentine qualifier Camilo Ugo Carabelli. The French veteran, playing in his final Madrid tournament, fell 6-4, 6-4 on the Manolo Santana Stadium court.
Monfils, 39, received a warm ovation from the crowd as he left the court. In his on-court interview, he said, 'We don't give up. I gave everything I had today, but Camilo played better. This tournament has been special for me over the years.'
Ugo Carabelli, ranked No. 87, broke Monfils once in each set to secure the victory in 1 hour and 28 minutes. The Argentine will face either Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or a qualifier in the second round.
Monfils, a former world No. 6, has not announced a retirement date but has indicated this is his final season on the ATP Tour. His career highlights include reaching the 2008 French Open semifinals and winning 12 ATP titles.
