As Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils played their final matches, the curtain came down on two of the most beloved careers in modern tennis. French Open On Monday, more than two decades of nostalgia on Parisian soil brought an emotional close.Monfils’ farewell came at midnight on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where the 39-year-old Frenchman lost a dramatic five-set battle to compatriot Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0. Earlier in the day, Wawrinka, 41, crashed out after a four-set loss to Jasper de Jong.Both veterans, who debuted at Roland Garros 21 years ago, are set to retire at the end of the season.For Monfils, the farewell took a final bow and carried the sentiments of a hometown hero. “Ga-el! Ga-el!” chants echoed through the packed stadium as fans celebrated one of the sport’s greatest entertainers. Despite battling fatigue in the Parisian heat, Monfils continued to thrill the crowd with stunning winners and trademark theatrics.After fighting back from two sets down, however, his energy ran out against an opponent 14 years his junior. After the match, Monfils was joined on court by the former. The Davis Cup Teammates Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon during a glamorous ceremony.Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz praised Monfils in a tribute video, calling him “a true inspiration” and “a great person off the court”. An emotional Monfils also thanked his wife Elina Svitolina, crediting her for helping him keep his career going.Wawrinka’s farewell carried a different weight — reflecting a champion’s career as one of the greatest underdogs of his era. The 2015 French Open winner received a standing ovation after his defeat, with fans giving one last round of applause for the Swiss star whose thunderous backhand once conquered the sport’s biggest names.“It’s hard to say goodbye to you here,” an emotional Wawrinka told the crowd. “It’s because of Roland Garros that I wanted to be a tennis player.”Wawrinka’s illustrious career included three Grand Slam titles, all against world No. 1 players – including victories over Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in major finals. Along with Roger Federer, he also helped Switzerland win the Olympic doubles gold and the Davis Cup.
