Heading into the Asian swing is never a walk in the park. The tournaments arrive at the tail end of the season, after four Slams and nine grueling months on tour. By then, fatigue and injuries bite hard. Gael Monfils knows that struggle too well. The Frenchman, already out of luck this year after back-to-back early exits in the American swing, came hoping to turn things around. But fate, once again, had other ideas.

On Thursday, the 39-year-old faced Alexander Shevchenko at the Chengdu Open. He started sharp, edging a tight first set in a tiebreak. Then disaster struck in the second set. Monfils suddenly hopped backward in pain and dropped to the court. The physio rushed over as he limped to his bench. Determined, he tried to push through. But the pain only worsened. Fifteen minutes later, he had no choice but to call it quits.

The Frenchman had been chasing his first win since Wimbledon. Early on, he showed flashes of brilliance, snatching the opening set. In the second, Shevchenko broke to lead 4-3 when Gael grabbed at his right ankle in agony. The World No. 52 collapsed, and Shevchenko quickly went to check on him. Gael Monfils spoke briefly to the physio, who offered no treatment. He even cracked a quick laugh with the umpire, asked for “10 seconds,” and returned to fight.

But the pain refused to ease. Shevchenko held serve, pushing ahead while Monfils struggled. He even dropped his racket, shaking his head toward his team. Commentator Miles Maclagan said, “He’s not in a good place physically or emotionally there, looks really upset,” as Gael Monfils tried to serve at 3-5 down. Shevchenko broke again, sealing the second set. Gael, still stubborn, refused to quit.

At the set break, he sat slumped, towel over his head. He was caught between pain and frustration. Still, he pushed again and earned a break point early in the final set. Shevchenko held firm. Serving at 0-1 in the decider, Monfils shook his head, then threw in the towel. Calmly, he walked to the net to shake hands with his opponent and the umpire. His night was over, brought down again by injury.

This latest blow marks his fifth withdrawal or retirement of the season. Earlier, he pulled out of the Australian Open due to a back injury and the BMW Open due to physical issues. In Madrid, he retired mid-match as injury struck again. At Cincinnati, he was forced to withdraw before he could even compete. It’s been a grueling run, full of false starts, and Monfils knows what more injuries at his age truly mean.

Gael Monfils opens up about his injuries this season

After the US Open, where Gael faced a touch loss in the first round to Roman Safiullin, the Frenchman wasn’t letting it get to him. This marked his first first-round Grand Slam loss in four years, a bitter end to what was once a semifinal appearance back in 2019. The 38-year-old Frenchman took to Instagram to share his raw, honest thoughts, saying, “New York, you were incredible,” but confessed the American swing didn’t go as hoped, “no wins, confidence took a hit… but so many new experiences.”

Gael Monfils’ recent results have been challenging: first round losses at the 2025 Washington Open against Yibing Wu (3-6, 1-6) and the 2025 Canadian Open against Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera (4-6, 6-4, 6-7), followed by his heartbreaking US Open five-set loss. Despite the tough stretch, his message was full of gratitude and warmth, “At the US Open, the energy was unreal. Your support in the stands, your messages, your smiles – you carried me, even in defeat. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

He admitted the confidence dip but stayed optimistic, “Not an easy stretch. Results haven’t gone my way, and the confidence isn’t there yet. But I still believe. I’ll keep putting in the work to climb back, find my rhythm, and rebuild that confidence step by step.”  He was determined to keep fighting at the Asian swing, adding, “Back to work with determination and drive.” However, it didn’t start the way he’d hoped.

While these results hint at a challenging phase, the 38-year-old’s focus remains strong. He’s been one of the oldest champions on the ATP Tour this year and showed his fighting spirit with a title in January at the ASB Classic. It’s clear he’s not ready to call it quits just yet. Especially because he’s realistic about his age and what injuries mean. As he once said in February, “At my age, a significant injury could mean the end of my career.” Will he come back from this injury setback as the months countdown to the end of the season? Share your thoughts in the comments below!