Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils will retire from tennis this year.
Both players enjoyed legendary careers on the ATP Tour, winning some of the biggest titles in the sport.
But how does the rest of the locker room view Wawrinka and Monfils?
Who will you miss the most of these retiring legends? 😢
Appearing as a guest on ‘Beyond the Numbers‘, former American tennis star Chris Eubanks answered that exact question.
Chris Eubanks says the locker room thinks Stan Wawrinka’s Grand Slam wins were ‘otherworldly’
“I think no question, Stan [Wawrinka] has been an incredible player, has maximised his career,” said Eubanks.
“The consensus among the players is that Stan getting those Slams when he did, in the time that he did, is otherworldly, it’s incredible, that’s absurd.”
Stan Wawrinka’s record in Grand Slam finals (3-1)
| Grand Slam final | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2014 Australian Open | Stan Wawrinka | Rafael Nadal | 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 |
| 2015 French Open | Stan Wawrinka | Novak Djokovic | 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 |
| 2016 US Open | Stan Wawrinka | Novak Djokovic | 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 |
| 2017 French Open | Rafael Nadal | Stan Wawrinka | 2-6, 3-6, 1-6 |
Wawrinka won three Grand Slams in three years between 2014 and 2016, defeating two of the greatest players of all time, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Emerging as a major contender in the era of the ‘big three’, Wawrinka deserves all the respect in the world.
Eubanks continued, sharing his thoughts on Monfils, who, despite never winning a Grand Slam, left his mark on the sport.
“And for Gael [Monfils], we all, I think, respect Gael because he was a top 10 player for a long time, and he still did it his way, he never gave into the outside pressure of saying, you should do it this way, he understood that for him to have a long career as a professional tennis player, he had to be himself, he had to have fun,” said Eubanks.
“I think every guy in the locker room looks at that and thinks, you know what, you can be successful doing it your way, even if it doesn’t come with a Slam, and be happy with your career.”
Eubanks then explained what it’s like playing Monfils, arguably the greatest showman the sport has ever seen.
“It’s a challenge playing Gael, not just because of the court coverage that he can produce and the firepower that I don’t think a lot of people talk about, but his showmanship in a way, can get, not necessarily under your skin, but can rattle your concentration,” he said.
“Because he plays these phenomenal points where he’s digging out balls, as the opponent, you’re fighting the urge to press, hit harder, closer to the lines, over and over again, you want to continue to play your game.
“Then he hits one crazy shot, he gets the crowd involved, starts to direct the choir in a way, and you have to be able to focus and reset, understand that you’re the opponent, you’ve got to counter this storm that’s starting to brew.
“When he starts to ride that momentum, it’s a tough thing to stop!
“And just one of the nicest guys as well, is Gael.
“Two guys that I watched growing up that if you would have told me that I would start my career and stop before they decided to stop, I probably wouldn’t have believed it, but here we are.”
Eubanks never played Wawrinka, but lost his one career meeting with Monfils in Canada three years ago.
- 2023 Canadian Open 1R – Gael Monfils defeated Chris Eubanks, 7-6, 6-7, 6-1
Wawrinka and Monfils will retire later this year, but right now, they are focused on their final French Open tournaments.
Who will Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils play at the French Open?
Wawrinka will begin his French Open campaign against the home favourite, Arthur Fils.
Or will he?
The talented Frenchman is expected to miss media day in Paris, as many believe he is nursing an injury.
If Fils withdraws, Wawrinka will take on a lucky loser in his opening match, perhaps boosting his chances of reaching the second round.
Monfils, on the other hand, will play another Frenchman, Hugo Gaston in the first round.
Like Monfils, Gaston received a wild card into the main draw, having struggled on tour recently.
Only time will tell if Wawrinka and Monfils can deliver the goods on their final visit to Roland Garros, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
The 2026 French Open main draw begins on Sunday, May 24.
