Stan Wawrinka and Gaël Monfils Begin Their Farewell Slam Season

Stan Wawrinka and Gaël Monfils invite fans to savor every last moment of their magical moments.

Stan Wawrinka and Gaël Monfils at Wimbledon 2024. | IMAGO / ABACAPRESS

In tennis, there are players who win, and there are players who entertain. There's also a subset of players who leave tennis fans frozen in disbelief, mouths open and eyes wide, wondering whether what they just witnessed was even possible.

As the tennis world turns its eyes toward Melbourne and the start of another grand slam season, Stan Wawrinka and Gaël Monfils stand at the edge of their final act. The 2026 ATP season is shaping up as the farewell tour for two of the sport's most magnetic figures.

Men who, for nearly 20 years, have bent tennis to their will, their imagination, and their personality. Both will hang up their racquets over the hump of turning 40. Both have left permanent footprints on the sport. And both are still daring fans to believe there might be one more moment left.

Stan Wawrinka and Gaël Monfils at the 2011 Australian Open. | IMAGO / Action Plus

The most recent announcement in Wawrinka's farewell journey felt right and almost inevitable. Stan, a former Australian Open champion, has received a main draw wildcard into the 2026 Australian Open, returning to Melbourne where his Grand Slam-winning ways all began. It's more than a courtesy; it's recognition. Melbourne isn't just a stop on Stan's calendar; it's more of a chapter of his legacy.

Wawrinka didn't simply win in Australia. He survived through epic, stick-with-you-forever-in-the-back-of-your-mind matches. That survival instinct was on display again recently as he served as team captain for Switzerland at the United Cup, battling valiantly through long matches and demanding conditions, leading by example in the same way he always has, methodically, stubbornly, and with no shortcuts.

Wawrinka's career peaks are etched into tennis history: three Grand Slam titles, each earned by staring down the giants of his era and swinging away freely. When Stan was locked in, the sport seemed to warp around him. His explosive and intentional one-handed backhand remains one of the most awe-inspiring shots ever produced. It didn't just win points. It stole breath.

Gaël Monfils and Stan Wawrinka at the 2014 Davis Cup. | IMAGO / Panoramic by PsnewZ

The valleys in his career came, too. Injuries, extended absences, and the long road back more than once. But even in those moments, Stan never stopped believing he could grind with the best in the world, no matter how long or how brutal the battle became.

As his farewell season begins, fans will be watching closely and perhaps sneaking an early look at the draw sheet soon to see who his first potential matches in the 2026 Australian Open bracket because nobody wants to accidentally miss a Wawrinka classic.

If Wawrinka made fans gasp, Monfils made them grin, laugh, and lose their minds. Monfils started 2026 intent on riding momentum into Melbourne, attempting to defend his ASB Classic title in Auckland, the same tournament he had conquered just a year earlier. The title defense didn’t last as long as hoped, though. Monfils fell in the opening round to Fabian Marozsán, but the result hardly tells the full story. The effort was there. The flair was there. And the crowd was still very much on his side.

Gaël Monfils and Stan Wawrinka at the 2017 French Open. | IMAGO / Panoramic by PsnewZ

Much like the story of his career, Monfils doesn’t need a trophy to command attention. A two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist, Monfils has long been one of Melbourne Park’s most beloved performers. When the 2026 Australian Open begins, his opening-round match will be one of the hottest tickets in the house.

For nearly two decades, Monfils has sent paying ticket holders home with stories. Stories of impossible sprints, last-ditch flicks, audacious winners, and points that lasted only seconds but lived forever. His speed, cunning nature, and charisma turned tennis matches into shared moments of joy.

Unlike Wawrinka, the Grand Slam trophy has remained elusive, but that missing piece has never dulled Monfils' impact. If anything, it has made fans root harder because when he catches fire, logic stops applying. Maybe, just maybe, there's still time for one more spark.

Stan Wawrinka and Gaël Monfils at Wimbledon 2024. | IMAGO / ABACAPRESS

The farewell tours of Wawrinka and Monfils aren't about nostalgia alone. They're about presence. The presence of power that shook the sport. Presence of creativity that expanded its limits. The presence of personalities that made tennis feel human, electric, and alive.

When the 2026 Australian Open begins, fans would be wise to watch them early. Watch them closely. Don't assume there will be another chance. When Wawrinka and Monfils finally walk away, tennis won't just lose a champion and a showman. It will lose two men who reminded us again and again that sometimes, all it takes is one swing, one sprint, or one impossible point to make the sport feel magical.

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