Stan Wawrinka bids emotional farewell at French Open after first‑round loss

Swiss tennis veteran Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 French Open champion, was defeated in the first round of the Paris tournament by Dutch qualifier Jasper De Jong, 6‑3 3‑6 6‑3 6‑4. The 41‑year‑old announced that he plans to retire at the end of the season, making this his probable final appearance at Roland Garros.

After the match, organizers presented Wawrinka with a glass box containing a piece of the clay courts, and a video montage of his career was shown on the stadium’s big screen. Fellow players including Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic sent tribute messages, and the crowd rose repeatedly to applaud the Swiss star as he expressed how difficult it was to say goodbye to the venue that shaped his career.