Gael Monfils sends heartfelt message to the New York fans after playing his last match at the US Open

Monfils had won his opening match at Flushing Meadows, but had no answer for American home hope Tien, 20 years his junior, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

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After bowing out of the tournament, Monfils shared a message to the New York crowd on social media.

Gael Monfils reacts to his US Open career ending

In a post on Instagram, Monfils said: “New York. I still don’t have the words for last night.

“I first came here in 2003, a kid playing the juniors, looking at those big courts and dreaming of the day I would walk onto them.

“From that moment, this tournament became one of my favorites. The one I always wanted to be part of.

“There is something about this place that you can’t explain: the noise, the lights, the energy that hits you the second you step out there.

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“More than twenty years later, I played my last Grand Slam match on those same courts. And you gave me a night I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

“The crowd was extraordinary, the atmosphere was extraordinary. You have always been that way with me, from the very first time until the very last.

“Thank you for the love. Thank you for the memories. Thank you for everything. From the bottom of my heart.”

Gael Monfils’ final season on the ATP Tour so far

Monfils has competed at 10 tour-level competitions in his swansong season on the ATP Tour thus far, the first of which was in Auckland.

He then appeared for a final time at the Australian Open before earning his first win of the season at the Mexican Open in Acapulco.

Monfils won two matches across his final appearances at the Indian Wells Open and the Monte-Carlo Masters.

The former Grand Slam semifinalist then suffered first-round exits in Madrid and Roland Garros.

Monfils skipped the grass season entirely, having not received a wildcard for Wimbledon, and returned at the Canadian Open, where he picked up one win before losing to Tien.

Since then, Monfils has tallied two consecutive losses at the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.