Valiant Monfils loses in first round on Roland Garros farewell

PARIS: Gael Monfils bade adieu to Roland Garros on Monday as the Frenchman fell just short of pulling off a stunning comeback to lose in five sets to compatriot Hugo Gaston.

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.

But like his longtime friend and rival Stan Wawrinka, who also lost in Paris earlier Monday, he too shall hang up his racquet at the end of the current season.

A first-round 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0 loss to 25-year-old Gaston ended Monfils’ emotional farewell to his home Grand Slam.

“I love you so much,” Monfils told Court Philippe Chatrier, before thanking his family, entourage and wife Elina Svitolina.

“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.”

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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.

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.

Now with his back up, Monfils raced through to force a decider, all while drawing repeated admiring gasps with his trademark shot-making.

But two wayward forehands from Monfils gave a resurgent Gaston a 2-0 advantage and spark began to fizzle out of the veteran’s game.

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 Francisco Cerundolo.

“It was very hard,” Gaston said.

“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.”

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

المصدر: New Straits Times