Stan Wawrinka is not the only tennis legend retiring this year, although he is likely the most successful.
After all, having managed to snag three Grand Slam titles during an era that boasted the three best male players of all time, he is revered by the entire tennis world.
Respected and adored for his beautiful play style and upbeat personality, it’s arguably his humility that has won him the most fans.
And, when given the opportunity, Stan Wawrinka was keen to step out of the limelight and heap praise on Gael Monfils, who will also call time on his tennis career at the end of 2026.
Stan Wawrinka discusses his relationship with Gael Monfils
Speaking to the press at the Monte Carlo media day, ahead of his final appearance at this event, Wawrinka discussed his relationship with Monfils.
After all, they are two of the most renowned veterans on the ATP Tour right now, and next year the sport will be worse off in their absence.
Who would be on your Mount Rushmore of tennis players?
Unsurprisingly, as it’s hard to imagine Wawrinka having a poor relationship with anybody, he and the Frenchman are close.
The 41-year-old even claimed: “He’s one of my best friends on tour.”
He then added: “We’ve practised so many times, not just at tournaments, but sometimes in Switzerland.
“We’ve always had amazing fun together. It was great that we both got a wild card here and had a chance to have one last practice on centre court. We enjoyed it a lot.”
What is Stan Wawrinka’s head-to-head record against Gael Monfils?
Despite having spent so long on tour together, Monfils and Wawrinka have actually only met seven times in their careers.
However, due to both spending the bulk of their playing days as seeded players, they likely will have had to topple one of the Big Three, especially in the larger events, to have faced one another.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner |
| 2024 | Wimbledon | Round of 64 | Gael Monfils |
| 2019 | Rotterdam | Final | Gael Monfils |
| 2017 | Roland Garros | Round of 16 | Stan Wawrinka |
| 2011 | Australian Open | Round of 32 | Stan Wawrinka |
| 2010 | Valencia | Round of 16 | Gael Monfils |
| 2009 | Tokyo | Quarter-final | Gael Monfils |
| 2007 | New Haven | Round of 32 | Stan Wawrinka |
They only played three Grand Slam matches together, as if to reinforce that point.
Despite Wawrinka boasting the far more successful career, Monfils actually leads their head-to-head, having won four of their seven meetings.
The 39-year-old won their most recent match, which came at Wimbledon in 2024.
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