Stan Wawrinka trains with another retiring player ahead of final Monte Carlo Masters appearance

Stan Wawrinka has announced that he will retire from tennis at the end of this season.

That means this year’s Monte Carlo Masters will be his final appearance at the tournament.

The Swiss player has fond memories of the event, having won it back in 2014, and he’ll no doubt be hoping to finish on a high note.

Wawrinka was given a wildcard entry into the main draw. He’ll learn who he faces in the opening round when the draw is made public on Friday.

The three-time Grand Slam winner has been getting ready for Monte Carlo by training with another player who also plans to retire later this year.

Stan Wawrinka has been putting in some practice time with Gael Monfils before the Monte Carlo Masters

Stan Wawrinka has posted several photos to his Instagram account and story, showing himself alongside Gael Monfils on court in Monte Carlo. Wawrinka captioned the post: “One last time my friend.”

Like Wawrinka, Monfils will also step away from the game at the end of this year.

Back in January, when he announced his retirement plans, Monfils said he felt grateful for his journey and that 2024 was the right moment to call it a day.

“When you love something so much, it never feels like a good time to say goodbye,” wrote Monfils on X.

“But 40 will be the right time for me. Of course, winning one more title before I’m done would be truly incredible. Truthfully, though, my only real goal for the year ahead is simple. To enjoy every minute, and to play each match like it’s my last.”

Monfils leaves behind a long list of accomplishments over two decades on Tour. The former world number six collected 13 ATP Tour titles along the way. He was known not just for his success but also for how he engaged fans with his style of play.

Athleticism is another trait that defined him throughout his career. Widely seen as one of the friendliest faces on Tour, Monfils brought something special to every match he played.

How Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils have fared head-to-head

Across more than 20 years on Tour, Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils have met just seven times.

Their first meeting came in 2007 at the New Haven Open, where Wawrinka claimed a straight-sets win.

Monfils answered back by taking their next two meetings in Tokyo and Valencia, before Wawrinka evened things up at the 2011 Australian Open.

They didn’t cross paths again until 2017 at Roland Garros, where Wawrinka came out on top. Monfils then took their sixth encounter two years later in Rotterdam to bring the head-to-head to three wins apiece.

Their most recent match was at Wimbledon in 2024, with Wawrinka edging Monfils in a tight contest that finished 7-6, 6-4, 7-6.

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