French Open Preview, Men's Singles: For The Love Of Clay And A Few Tired Legs

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.

Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils 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 Grand Slam tournament after announcing they will retire at the end of the season.

Both players have slipped down the rankings. A three-time Grand Slam 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.

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 Wawrinka, he debuted more than 20 years ago. “La Monf” has rarely disappointed his Paris fans, even if he's never matched the feat of Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to win Roland Garros — in 1983.

Not only the fans love Monfils.

“I don’t know anyone that really doesn’t like Gael,” 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic said on Friday. “One of my favorite players to watch. Incredible athleticism. I’m looking forward seeing him perform his last Roland Garros here.”

Never Say Die

Since 2005, Monfils has amassed a 40-17 record at the clay-court tournament, which starts Sunday. He faces compatriot Hugo Gaston in the first round.

Three years ago, he arrived in Roland Garros coming back from heel surgery, ranked No. 394 and without a Grand Slam match win in more than a year. He battled Sebastian Baez for nearly four hours on Court Philippe Chatrier before beating the Argentine in an epic first-round match.

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The script was even more dramatic last year when he recovered from two-sets-to-love down against Hugo Dellien to become the player with the most five-set match victories on the clay courts of Roland Garros (12) in the Open era.

“I was not strong enough to win a Grand Slam” Monfils told his fans during a tribute at Roland Garros this week. “But I perhaps won more. I won a career that I’m proud of.”

Ukrainian player Elena Svitolina, who married Monfils in 2021, expects her husband to relish his final outing at Roland Garros.

“For him having a French crowd is something that he always dreamed when he was a little kid to play the big matches, to play together,” Svitolina said. “They carry you through the matches. I think for the past years he experienced something amazing. He always remembers that. For him will be a lot of nerves, but I think he already settled (a) little bit down with it. Just going to enjoy and give it his best shot, the last one.”

Wawrinka's Stunning Feat And Shorts

Wawrinka, nicknamed “Stan the Man,” appeals to the French crowd in many ways. His down-to-earth, no-holds-barred way of speaking immediately resonates with the Parisian public — his native tongue is French — while his immaculate one-handed backhand still captivates the game’s purists.

“I grew up on clay, grew up watching clay-court specialists, I grew up watching Roland Garros dreaming about maybe playing one day. It is part of me,” Wawrinka said in an interview with French Open organizers.

Wawrinka is set for his 21st appearance at Roland Garros. He faces rising French star Arthur Fils, the 17th seed, in the first round.

Wawrinka's stunning 2015 run, when he defeated Djokovic in the final after downing Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, is fondly remembered by tennis aficionados.

“Actually, I didn’t arrive that year confident, entering matches knowing I could win,” said Wawrinka, the former world No. 3 who also reached the final in 2017. “On the court, I just stayed in the moment and found my best tennis. It couldn’t have been more special, especially with that level of play against Novak.”

His fans also did not forget the pink-checkered shorts he wore that year.

“It’s just like everybody talk about that shorts,” Wawrinka said after his win. “I quite like them. Apparently I’m the only one. They will be in the museum of Roland Garros. You will see my shorts every day if you want.”

Whether the (in)famous shorts make one final appearance on court this year remains to be seen.

“One needs to ask the museum, I'm not sure if they need to be cleaned beforehand,” Wawrinka joked during his pre-tournament press conference. “I had not planned that, I'll think about it before Monday.”