French Open tennis: Monfils wants to emulate Ronaldo and LeBron | Tennis news

Gael Monfils played his last match at Roland-Garros losing to fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston but has promised to play.

Gael Monfils is determined to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James by playing until the age of 40 and hopes to play at Wimbledon, Montreal and the US Open before bringing the curtain down on his career at the Paris Masters.

The Frenchman, who turns 40 in September, bid a farewell to Roland Garros after going down 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0 to compatriot Hugo Gaston in the first round on Monday, walking off the high note where he celebrated a two-decade career.

Monfils will retire at the end of the season as he looks to manage his body well into his 40s.

“Why do I want to go to the States? Because I want to play until 40. My goal is to be an athlete who plays until the age of 40,” said Monfils.

“Like Stan (Wawrinka), LeBron, Cristiano, (Patrice) Evra, like all the athletes who managed to continue their sport until the age of 40.

This is what I want to do. You know whatever happens this summer, I’m locked in the training room.

The world number six, who has enjoyed some of his best results on clay, admitted that the surface has struggled in recent years.

Although he hopes to earn a US Open berth, he also wants to play Wimbledon and Montreal.

“Hopefully Wimbledon. Then we have to decide if we go to Washington or not,” he said.

“I think we will ask Montreal, hopefully. I want to say goodbye to Montreal. Obviously I will ask the French Federation to have a card for the US Open.

“Asia is not clear, to be honest. Then at the end of the year, I can tell you that I will play in Lyon, a new competition. Nicolas (his agent) wants me to play in Vienna, and then, Paris.”

The 13-time ATP champion reached the final of the French Open in 2008 and was a key part of France’s Davis Cup matches in 2010 and 2014.