Gael Monfils exits Indian Wells with emotional second-round loss to Auger-Aliassime

Gael Monfils waves to fans after his Indian Wells exit.

Gael Monfils lost to ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round at Indian Wells. The 39-year-old Frenchman fell 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 over two hours and 16 minutes. He called it an emotional farewell to the tournament in his final season.

Monfils advanced past Alexis Galarneau in the opener. He won the first set tiebreak 7-5 amid crowd support. Auger-Aliassime broke early in the second to level.

Fatigue hit Monfils in the decider. He held serve under pressure but dropped it at 4-5. The Canadian closed out with strong serving.

Fans cheered every point for the showman. Monfils delivered highlight-reel shots throughout. He embraced Auger-Aliassime at the net after the match.

Monfils announced his retirement for end of 2026. Auckland marked his season opener with a first-round exit. Indian Wells run ends in third round.

Auger-Aliassime advances to face Andrey Rublev or Gabriel Diallo winner. The Canadian fired aces to seal victory. He improves head-to-head record.

Indian Wells continues with top seeds in later rounds. Carlos Alcaraz defends men's title. Weather holds dry for weekend play.

Monfils plans select events through year. His athletic style captivated generations. Farewell tour draws packed courts everywhere