Gael Monfils bids adieu to French Open one last time after first-round loss

[p]The 39-year-old former world number six has been a hugely entertaining and popular character with both fans and his fellow pros alike for the last two decades.[/p][embed guid="fbfc4331-66d8-4930-b545-c50e1a4fec4d" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2059032409111179343?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]But like his longtime friend and rival [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wawrinka-stan/Uo9lu6le/"]Stan Wawrinka[/a], who also lost in Paris earlier Monday, he, too, shall hang up his racquet at the end of the current season.[/p][p]A first-round [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gaston-h-hGqnSub7/monfils-g-fm7G8o0m/?mid=6ie1sxmC"]6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0[/a] loss to 25-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gaston-hugo/hGqnSub7/"]Gaston[/a] ended [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-gael/fm7G8o0m/"]Monfils[/a]' emotional farewell to his home Grand Slam.[/p][p][b]"I love you so much," [/b]Monfils told Court Philippe Chatrier, before thanking his family, entourage, and wife [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-elina/jyngIesG/"]Elina Svitolina[/a].[/p][p][b]"Every year I come to play at Roland Garros, I have goosebumps... I'm going to miss you all, thank you from the bottom of my heart."[/b][/p][embed guid="9e6c082d-4ea0-4ce7-b57b-4be06babaece" url="https://x.com/BleacherReport/status/2059043712542376317?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]After going two sets down, 218th-ranked Monfils gave a packed centre court reason to cheer as he broke at 4-3 in the third frame to keep his Roland Garros dream alive.[/p][p]After serving out, he immediately broke world number 118 Gaston in the very first game of the fourth set to the delight of the night session crowd.[/p][p]With his back up against a wall, Monfils raced through to force a decider, all while drawing repeated admiring gasps with his trademark shot-making.[/p][p]But two wayward forehands from Monfils gave a resurgent Gaston a 2-0 advantage, and the spark began to fizzle out of the veteran's game.[/p][p]The momentum had suddenly swung again in Gaston's favour, and the left-hander cruised through the final set to book a round-of-64 meeting with Argentinian 25th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cerundolo-francisco/lWQ3G6gB/"]Francisco Cerundolo[/a].[/p][p][b]"It was very hard,"[/b] Gaston said.[b] "It's very weird the feeling, there's joy obviously, but sadness for Gael. I'm very sorry. I want to thank you for everything you've done for young players."[/b][/p][embed guid="11e0ed07-e0ef-448a-afe0-74a8cefc1b7b" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2059037474760937873?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]