Roland-Garros 2026 will not only be the stage for Jannik Sinner's Career Grand Slam bid or Coco Gauff's title defence. It will also be a tournament of farewells, an edition laden with emotion as several legends walk on Parisian clay for the final time.
Gaël Monfils, 40, has chosen Paris to write the final chapter of his career. The Frenchman, awarded a wild card by the FFT, will compete in his last Roland-Garros after more than two decades on the professional circuit. Before striking his first ball in competition, Monfils is hosting a special evening called "Gaël & Friends" on Court Philippe-Chatrier tomorrow night. Scheduled for 7:30 p.m., the event will blend tennis, music and surprises alongside artists including Martin Solveig and Franglish. Proceeds will benefit charitable organisations, including the FFT's Terre d'Impact endowment fund and the KELINA association founded by Flora Coquerel.
Monfils, a quarter-finalist at Roland-Garros in 2008, has always enjoyed a special bond with the Parisian crowd. His spectacular play, acrobatic dives and infectious energy made him one of the most beloved players of his generation. His final match in Paris promises to be a moment of pure emotion.
Stan Wawrinka, 41, also returns for one last dance. The Swiss champion, who lifted the trophy in 2015 after a memorable final against Novak Djokovic, earned a wild card after climbing back to world No. 125. "There will inevitably be a lot of emotion, because it's Paris, it's Roland-Garros," Wawrinka said in a recent interview. The three-time Grand Slam winner will officially retire at Basel later this season, but Paris will forever be the setting of his greatest clay-court triumph.
Caroline Garcia, a former world No. 4, will also be honoured during this edition. The Frenchwoman, who has been a cornerstone of women's tennis in France over the past fifteen years, will receive a tribute on the show court alongside Monfils and Wawrinka.
Three champions, three stories, one stage. Roland-Garros 2026 will be the tournament where French and world tennis bids farewell to a golden generation, while welcoming the next one.