Eliminated in the first round of his final Masters 1000 in Madrid, Gaël Monfils continues his farewell tour

French veteran Gaël Monfils was eliminated in two sets by Argentinian Camilo Ugo Carabelli on Thursday afternoon in Madrid.

Published on: 23/04/2026 18:37
Updated on: 23/04/2026 18:55
Reading time: 1 min

(VALERY HACHE / AFP)

There will be no final adventure in Madrid for 39-year-old French veteran Gaël Monfils. He was eliminated in the first round of the Spanish Masters 1000 on April 23, losing in two sets to Argentinian Camilo Ugo Carabelli (6-3, 6-4) on the clay court of the Manolo Santana Stadium. Monfils, ranked 200th globally and a wildcard beneficiary, couldn’t keep up with the 57th-ranked ATP player, 13 years his junior, succumbing to the pace and intensity.

In their first match, the former world number 6 faced relentless attacks from his opponent, a surface specialist, never taking control of the game. Struggling with his serve, he fought off four break points before losing the fourth game 4-2, ultimately losing the set in just over half an hour. Despite the support from his compatriot and France’s number 1 player Arthur Fils, present in his box ahead of his own match on Friday, Monfils couldn’t turn the tide. Despite having opportunities to take the lead, he failed to convert any of his three break points before ultimately surrendering. Carabelli sealed his victory on his first match point, with an ultimate game to love.

Monfils, on his farewell tour after announcing he will retire at the end of the year, will only play one match in his final appearance at the Caja Magica courts, after missing the 2025 edition. His best result in the Spanish Masters 1000 remains a quarter-final loss to local favorite Rafael Nadal in 2010, in the tournament’s second edition in this category. Today’s winner, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, will face Italian Flavio Cobolli, recent finalist in the Munich tournament, in the next round.