PARIS -- In front of a near-capacity crowd at Court Philippe-Chatrier that cheered and chanted loudly until the final point, Gael Monfils said au revoir to the French Open with an emotional 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0 loss to Hugo Gaston in the first round Monday night.
After falling into a two-set deficit, Monfils showed flashes of what made him one of the sport's most beloved showmen for over two decades with brilliant shot-making and electrifying athleticism to force a fourth set and then a decider. But in the last set, he simply had nothing left to give, despite the best efforts of nearly everyone in attendance.
Facing match point, the crowd -- which included a large section of his family and friends -- chanted "Ga-el, Ga-el," as they had so many times throughout the match. Though he staved off the first match point, he lost on Gaston's second attempt moments later.
When it was over, after 3 hours, 22 minutes, so was Monfils' storied career at Roland Garros. The 39-year-old had previously said this would be his final year on tour, and his last appearance at the tournament.