The end of an era at Roland Garros: Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils bid an emotional farewell to the French Open

Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils say goodbye to the French Open. (AP Photos) Two of the most storied careers in modern tennis came to a close as Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils played their final matches at the French Open on Monday, bringing to a close more than two decades of memories on the Paris clay.Monfils’ farewell lasted until midnight on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where the 39-year-old Frenchman lost a dramatic five-set battle with compatriot Hugo Gaston 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0. Earlier, the 41-year-old Wawrinka bowed out after a four-set defeat to Jesper 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 had the emotion of a hometown hero taking his final bow. Chanting “Ga-el! Ga-el!” echoed through the packed stadium as fans celebrated one of the sport’s greatest entertainers. Even as he battled fatigue in the Paris heat, Monfils continued to thrill the crowd with spectacular winners and trademark theatrics.After fighting back from two sets, however, he ran out of strength against an opponent 14 years younger. After the match, Monfils was joined in a heartfelt on-court ceremony by former Davis Cup teammates Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon.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 support for helping him continue his career.Wawrinka’s farewell carried a different weight — a champion reflecting on one of the greatest underdog careers of his era. The 2015 French Open winner received a standing ovation after the loss and fans gave 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 was because of Roland Garros that I wanted to become a tennis player.”Wawrinka’s remarkable career has included three Grand Slam titles, all won against world No.1 players – including wins over Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in major finals. Alongside Roger Federer, he helped Switzerland win doubles gold and the Davis Cup.