Monfils Trains on Clay in Melbourne as Final Season Strategy Takes Shape
While the Australian Open is being played on hard courts, Gaël Monfils is already looking somewhere else and that choice says a lot about where he is in his career right now.
The French veteran has been spotted training on clay courts in Melbourne, an unusual move during a hard-court Grand Slam, but a very deliberate one. Monfils is preparing for an intense South American swing in February, with tournaments in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro coming fast. Clay is the surface that will define that stretch and he is wasting no time adjusting his body and his game.
This moment matters because Monfils is approaching what he has openly framed as the final chapter of his professional career. At 39, every tournament is no longer just about results. It is about choosing experiences carefully, managing his body and finishing on his own terms. Training on clay now reduces risk later. It also shows a player thinking long-term, even in a sport that often rewards short-term focus.
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Monfils stayed in Melbourne longer than expected partly because of his wife, Elina Svitolina, who is enjoying a strong run at the Australian Open. While she competes, Monfils has taken on the role of training partner and support system. It is a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of two elite athletes balancing competition, family and preparation in real time.
On court, clay demands patience, endurance and tactical clarity. These are qualities Monfils has relied on throughout his career, even as his explosive athleticism has gradually evolved. The move back to clay also reconnects him with some of the most passionate crowds in tennis. South American tournaments are known for their intensity, their noise and their emotion and Monfils has always thrived in that environment.
This decision also reflects a broader shift in how veteran players manage their seasons. Rather than chasing every big event, they are targeting surfaces and tournaments that fit their bodies and their motivations. For fans, that means seeing Monfils where he is most expressive, most creative and often most entertaining.
The image of Monfils sliding on clay in Melbourne, thousands of miles from the South American crowds he is preparing for, is more than a training detail. It is a statement. He is not drifting toward the end. He is planning it.
As the South American tour approaches, all eyes will be on how this early preparation translates into performance and whether Monfils can turn experience into one more memorable run. Stay with us as this final season continues to unfold and as one of tennis’s most charismatic figures writes the next lines of his story.
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