Gael Monfils concluded his French Open career with a five-set opening-round loss to compatriot Hugo Gaston, but bowed out with a smile and big plans for a future outside the court.

The last Paris match of the French showman came only hours after good Swiss friend Stan Wawrinka also said his career goodbyes to Roland Garros, with retirement set for the end of the season.

While three-time grand Slam winner Wawrinka, 41, lifted the title here 11 years ago, the best at the venue for the 39-year-old Monfils was the 2008 semi-finals.

“It’s a mixed feeling between happiness, sadness, and a lot of feelings, a lot of emotion. It’s very hard to describe,” Monfils said.

“Somehow I don’t want to dig too deep yet, but it’s not easy. It’s very hard, deeply inside is very hard, so I really try to block them.”

The Swiss-based player married to WTA No. 7 Elina Svitolina took to the court on Monday night 21 years after his first match here, when he also lost a 6-0 final set in his debut to Guillermo Cañas.

Against Gaston, Monfils fought back to level at two sets apiece after dropping the first two but ran out of gas in the fifth where he was blanked.

He told French media of his immediate plans, working with his brother to complete a massive 10,000-piece Lego of the Eiffel Tour.

He said he will be hoping for wildcard invitations to Wimbledon and possibly the US Open but will play the remainder of the season by ear. His schedule will be set to allow time to be with his daughter Skai as she begins preschool in September.

Monfils added that he is determined to play past the age of 40, meaning he would have to compete in some autumn events after his September birthday.

“My wish is to be an athlete that plays until 40 years old. Nico (His manager) says that he’s locked me in until 40, maybe 40 years and a few days, let’s see”

Main photo:- Gail Monfils waves farewell to Roland Garros after 21 years. – ©ATPTour.com

A video tribute from Roger Federer marked the end of the French Open on Monday for Stan Wawrinka as the Swiss went out in the first round.

Joining Federer in celebrating the career of the three-time Grand Slam winner who will pack up his racquet at the end of this season were former rivals Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and retiring French icon Gael Monfils.

Current world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and his own rival Carlos Alcaraz also sent best wishes.  

The 41-year-old Wwarinka, who won the Paris title in 2015 and claimed Davis Cup and Olympic titles, reached a career high of third in the world.

He lost his opening match at this edition, defeated by 25-year-old Jesper de Jong 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The winner’s Dutch coach had once lost to Wawrinka back in the day.

Three-timm Grand Slam champion Wawrinka was surprised in a post-match on-cort ceremony orchestrated by TD Amelie Mauresmo and federation boss Gilles Moretton,

“Ciao Stanley, congratulations for your career and especially what you did when you won at Roland Garros,”  20-time Grand Slam winner Federer said in his message on the stadium video wall.

“It was exceptional what you did in beating novak in the final – I will neve forget it

“I spent so much time with you on the Tour over the course of your career. I hope you celebrate this final Roland Garros properly and that you enjoy everything up until the end of your career (coming at the end of this season).

“See you soon, old man.”

Nadal recalled that he and Wwarinak “grew up together” adding that the Swiss had “an unforgettable career.”

Djokovic, last of the fabled Big 3 still active in the sport, addressed his friend and rival: “Stanimal, congratulations on an incredible career.

“You were an inspiration to me and many other players across several generations (after 25 years in the sport).

“You have so much to be proud of, I’m very happy to call you a friend.”

Alexander Zverev maintained his near-perfect first-round success rate at Roland Garros as the second seed produced a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Benjamin Bonzi to advance on Sunday’s opening day.

The German who played the final here in 2024 against Carlos Alcaraz, has passed the Paris first round for the tenth time in 11 appearances.

He won in sweltering 33 Celsius conditions, which are expected to last for through the coming Week 1

The 29-year-old who has been bothered by recent back issues due to a busy match schedule, nevertheless has compiled an impressive spring clay record, reaching the Madrid final along with semi-finals in Monte Carlo and Munich.

He stumbled in the Rome Masters run-up, going out in the fourth round to Luciano Darderi as his back worry played up, causing him to withdraw from Geneva.

Zverev made his move into the second round in around two hours over the No 98.

“It was a good start, it’s sometimes as simple as that,” Zverev said, “I won in three sets. 

“It was an opening match against an opponent who can make it difficult against good players. He’s shown that in the past, and I handled it well.

“That’s what I’m the most happy about.”

Zverev advanced to the semi-finals at three of four clay events played this season, highlighted by a run to the Madrid final.

Australian James Duckworth booked the first second-round spot of the fortnight after winning an abbreviated opening match, defeating injured Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-3, 4-1 in barely an hour.

Karen Khachanov dished out the first French loss of the tournament as he defeated Arthur Gea 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-0,with the 140th-ranked wild card forced to rush off court at one point for a bathroom emergency.

Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina needed more than four hours to complete a 6-7 (3), 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 defeat of Damir Dzumhur.

“Today was a very tough match, I didn’t expect that it was going to be that hot today,” the winner said.

“I suffered a lot with this heat. At the beginning, I was not feeling very good, so I needed to change a little bit my plans.

“Physically I was struggling a little bit. At the end, I was a little bit lucky
playing two, three shots. I made a lot of winners.”

He said the win needed extra effort after playing last week in the cool 10 Celsius of Hamburg,