Monfils, Wawrinka Exit French Open in 1st Round as Roland Garros Salutes Retiring Veterans
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 25
Monfils, Wawrinka Exit French Open in 1st Round as Roland Garros Salutes Retiring Veterans
11 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 25
Gaël Monfils, 39, ended his final Roland Garros just before midnight with a 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0 loss to fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston after briefly rallying from two sets down.
Stan Wawrinka, 41, earlier fell 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Jesper de Jong on a 33C day in Paris, closing his French Open career as the 2015 champion and 2017 runner-up.
Both players are retiring at the end of 2026, making Monday their last appearances at Roland Garros, where they debuted 21 years ago.
Paris crowds turned both exits into tributes: Monfils was joined on court by former Davis Cup teammates, while Wawrinka received messages from Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Sinner and Alcaraz.
As tennis honors its retiring legends, what does this mean for the rising players who just defeated them?
Amid emotional farewells, why are current Roland Garros players battling the tournament over prize money?