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Roland-Garros wrap - Mon May 25

Paris bids farewell to Gael, Stan and RBA

Stan Wawrinka, Roland-Garros 2026, first round
©Julien Crosnier / FFT
 - Lee Goodall

It was a day of goodbyes in Paris on Monday as the famous clay court major bid au revoir to three former top 10 players who are all retiring at the end of this season.

For a while it looked like the last of that trio on court on Day 2 - Gael Monfils - might extend his stay for a little longer when he fought back from two sets to love down against fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston.

But on a hot night in the French capital, the physical effort eventually caught up with the 39-year-old and it was Gaston who went through 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0 a few minutes before midnight local time.

Monfils was honoured with an on-court ceremony in front of a packed and adoring Court Philippe-Chatrier after his final appearance on Paris’ famous red clay show court.

A video played to the 15,000 fans inside the stadium that included messages from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

➡️ Monday results

➡️ Tuesday order of play

Earlier, Stan Wawrinka and Roberto Bautista Agut were hoping to extend their own careers at the Paris major but it wasn’t to be as both were stopped in the heat.

With temperatures once more touching 33c, every contest became a test of stamina and mental fortitude and it was Bautista Agut who was the first veteran former top-tenner to fall when he lost to American Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 on Court 9.

One of the great RG atmospheres greeted Stan the Man as he tried to overcome Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong on Court Simonne-Mathieu but despite trying everything - and using every last drop of energy in the process - it was the world No.106 who eventually prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Despite the defeat, it will be a day that Wawrinka will surely always remember as hundreds of fans showered him with love during the match and throughout another post-match ceremony that featured video messages from Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

As Stan was saying his goodbyes, over on Court Suzanne-Lenglen No.7 seed Elina Svitolina scraped through to the second round in a deciding tiebreak after being 3-1 down in the third against Anna Bondar.

There were easier passages for other top seeds in the women’s draw when four-time champion Iga Swiatek cruised past Australia’s Emerson Jones and Amanda Anisimova was too strong for French hope Sarah Rakotomanga. Second seed Elena Rybakina was another who eased into the round of 64.

The Spanish sensation Rafael Jodar dropped just five games during his Roland-Garros debut and in one of the more surprising results in-form Czech 12th seed Jiri Lehecka lost 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-3 to former quarterfinalist Pablo Carreno Busta. Meanwhile, Ben Shelton hammered his way into round two and afterwards talked about the fast conditions this week.

Comeback of the day goes to Norway’s Casper Ruud who somehow recovered from dizziness, cramps and a fourth set during which he could barely stay upright to somehow beat Roman Safiullin 6-2, 7-6(5), 5-7, 0-6, 6-2 on Simonne-Mathieu.

Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis deserves a shoutout too as winner of the day’s longest contest against Frenchman Terence Atmane. The Adelaide native trailed 2-5 in the fifth before stealing the decider 7-5 after four hours and 18 minutes.

It’s the third and final day of first round tennis on Tuesday and Alix Ramsay has dissected the Day 3 schedule for our viewing pleasure.