PARIS — Their legs don’t move as fast on the red clay. They recover more slowly. But the French public still loves them just as much when they take to the tennis court.
Gael Monfils and Stan Wawrinka have been involved in some of the most memorable matches in recent Roland Garros history. The two veterans are back at the French Open for a final dance at the year’s second Grand Slam tournament after announcing they will retire at the end of the season.
Both players have slipped down the ATP Tour rankings. A three-time major champion, the 41-year-old Wawrinka won the title in 2015 and is now ranked No. 119. Aged 39, Monfils reached the semifinals in Paris in 2008 and made it to the quarterfinals on three other occasions. He is No. 221 and has received a wild card to play in Paris, where main-draw play begins Sunday.
Renowned for his spectacular style of play, fighting spirit and remarkable physical ability, Monfils is a crowd favorite at his home Grand Slam tournament, where, like Switzerland’s Wawrinka, he debuted more than 20 years ago. “La Monf” has rarely disappointed his fans in Paris, even if he has never matched the feat of Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to win a singles title at Roland Garros — in 1983.
Not only the fans love Monfils.