Retiring Stan Wawrinka bathed in love as age denies him one last fling in Paris

• Swiss beaten 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Jesper de Jong

• ‘It will be difficult to leave Roland Garros’

“It’s tough, it’s tough,” said Stan Wawrinka, tears welling in his eyes. “I don’t want to say goodbye to you here.” He was addressing a full crowd on Court Simonne-Mathieu moments after losing his first-round match at the French Open 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Jesper de Jong, a lucky loser from the Netherlands.

This will be the final match and moment for Wawrinka in Paris. The three-time grand slam champion, a winner here in 2015, will retire at the end of the season after a ­distinguished 25-year career. The 41-year-old announced his decision at the end of last year, allowing him to spend 2026 competing at the biggest tournaments for a final time.