Stan Wawrinka Exits Roland Garros After First-Round Loss To Jesper De Jong
Wawrinka receives emotional farewell after Roland Garros first-round defeat.
Former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka bid an emotional farewell to Roland Garros on Monday after suffering a first-round defeat in what marked his final appearance at the clay-court Grand Slam. The 41-year-old Swiss veteran, who plans to retire at the end of the current season, was beaten 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong in front of a packed crowd on Court Simonne Mathieu.
Wawrinka, the 2015 French Open champion, admitted after the match that saying goodbye to Roland Garros was among the most difficult moments of his farewell season. The three-time Grand Slam winner received an emotional reception from fans throughout the contest, with spectators cheering nearly every point he won despite the intense Paris heat, where temperatures crossed 30 degrees Celsius.
Speaking to reporters, Wawrinka said the support he received exceeded all expectations and reflected why he continued competing into his forties. The Swiss star explained that Roland Garros held a special emotional connection for him because he grew up in the French-speaking part of Switzerland watching the tournament on television as a child. He described the French Open as completely different from every other event in his career, despite also winning Grand Slam titles in Melbourne and New York.
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The tournament organisers paid tribute to Wawrinka following the defeat by presenting him with a glass display containing a piece of the clay court. Video tributes from fellow tennis greats, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, were also shown on giant screens around the stadium. Fighting back emotion during the on-court ceremony, Wawrinka thanked fans, tournament staff and everyone who supported him throughout his long career.
The match itself remained competitive for over three hours before De Jong secured the decisive break late in the fourth set with a powerful forehand winner. Wawrinka pushed hard to extend the contest and even created a break-back opportunity, but the Dutch player held firm to advance into the second round. At one stage, the former world number three was left lying exhausted on the clay after a demanding rally.
De Jong, ranked 106th in the world, acknowledged the occasion was more about Wawrinka’s farewell than his own victory. The 25-year-old revealed that Wawrinka had once played against his coach while he worked as a ball boy during his childhood. “It’s all about Stan today,” De Jong said, as the Paris crowd gave the departing champion one final standing ovation at Roland Garros.
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