The surprise: Gael Monfils named France Davis Cup captain
Four days after saying goodbye to the Paris crowd, Gael Monfils was named France Davis Cup captain by the French Tennis Federation on Saturday. The former World No. 6 succeeds Paul-Henri Mathieu and wants to build “a real collective project” with Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet at his side.
Gaël Monfils, Rolex Paris Masters 2026 | © Michel Baucher / PsNewz
“Unexpected,” in this case, is an understatement. The French Tennis Federation (FFT) announced on Saturday that Gael Monfils had been named captain of the France Davis Cup team, four days after his farewell ceremony at the Rolex Paris Masters.
The 40-year-old succeeds Paul-Henri Mathieu, who led the team for three years, and will be supported by Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet, three of the four “New Musketeers” with whom he wrote some of the finest pages of French tennis between 2005 and 2020.
“It is an immense pride to become captain of the France team,” Monfils said in French in a statement released by the FFT. “This blue shirt means so much to me. I want to build a real collective project and create the momentum that will allow us to go after titles together.”
Monfils played 14 Davis Cup ties for France between 2009 and 2019 and won 12 of his 15 singles rubbers, according to the Davis Cup website. He never won the competition. He lost two finals, to Serbia in 2010 and to Switzerland in Lille in 2014, when he beat Roger Federer 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. He was not part of the France team that lifted the trophy in 2017, under Yannick Noah’s captaincy.
As a player, he spent 22 years on the professional tour. He won 13 ATP titles, the last of them in Auckland in January 2025, and reached a career-high of World No. 6 in 2016. That year he qualified for the ATP Finals, and he remained the last Frenchman to do so until Arthur Fils this week.
Gael Monfils in the Davis Cup, rubber by rubber
| Year | Round | Tie | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Last 16 | France 4-1 Netherlands | Thiemo de Bakker | L 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 4-6 |
| 2010Runner-up | Last 16 | France 4-1 Germany | Philipp Kohlschreiber | W 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (5) |
| Quarter-final | France 5-0 Spain | David Ferrer | W 7-6 (3), 6-2, 4-6, 5-7, 6-4 | |
| Semi-final | France 5-0 Argentina | David Nalbandian | W 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 | |
| Final | France 2-3 Serbia | Janko Tipsarevic | W 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-0 | |
| Final | France 2-3 Serbia | Novak Djokovic | L 2-6, 2-6, 4-6 | |
| 2011 | Quarter-final | France 4-1 Germany | Philipp Kohlschreiber | W 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-4 |
| 2012 | Last 16 | France 4-1 Canada | Vasek Pospisil | W 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2014Runner-up | Last 16 | France 5-0 Australia | Nick Kyrgios | W 7-6 (5), 6-4 |
| Quarter-final | France 3-2 Germany | Peter Gojowczyk | W 6-1, 7-6 (0), 6-2 | |
| Semi-final | France 4-1 Czechia | Lukas Rosol | W 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 | |
| Final | France 1-3 Switzerland | Roger Federer | W 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 | |
| 2015 | Last 16 | France 3-2 Germany | Philipp Kohlschreiber | W 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (4) |
| 2016 | Last 16 | France 5-0 Canada | Frank Dancevic | W 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 |
| 2019 | Finals group stage | France 2-1 Japan | Yoshihito Nishioka | L 5-7, 2-6 |
Singles only. Scores from Monfils’ perspective, tie scores from France’s perspective. Overall record: 12 wins, 3 defeats in 14 ties (source: Davis Cup website).
Simon and Gasquet alongside Monfils in the France set-up
The federation said Monfils would have the backing of all its teams, notably Simon and Gasquet, to support him in his role and create the best conditions for performance. Gasquet was among those who paid tribute to Monfils on Court Central in Paris on Tuesday.
In September, Gasquet and Lucas Pouille were the two names reported as frontrunners for the job.
“We are very happy to have Gael at the head of the France team,” FFT president Gilles Moretton said. “We are convinced that his infectious energy and enthusiasm will be precious assets in carrying the ambitions of French tennis.”
Moretton also praised his predecessor. “I also want to salute the work done by Paul-Henri, who notably brought our team back to the Davis Cup Final 8,” he said.
