'Magician' Monfils exits final French Open

'Magician' Monfils exits final French OpenImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gael Monfils made his professional debut in 2004, when his first-round opponent Hugo Gaston was just four years old ByElizabeth BotcherbyBBC Sport journalistPublished6 minutes agoMagician. Showman. Loved everywhere he goes.Those words, chosen by Elina Svitolina, Amelie Mauresmo and Felix Auger-Aliassime respectively, are a small selection of the tributes to one of tennis' greatest characters.Gael Monfils is not hanging up his racquet until the end of the season, but Monday proved to be a goodbye to his home Grand Slam and the major where he has enjoyed his greatest success, reaching the semi-finals in 2008 and a further three quarter-finals.In front of a packed crowd, the 39-year-old delivered a performance befitting his reputation.Down and out after two sets, he fought back to force a decider against world number 185 and fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston, bringing the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd to its feet and eliciting screams of delight with his selection of 'tweeners' and dogged chasing.Ultimately there would be no repeat of last year's epic fightback to win from two sets down against Hugo Dellien, with exhaustion getting the better of Monfils as he went down 6-2 6-3 3-6 2-6 6-0, but he bowed out with cheers of "Gael, Gael, Gael" ringing out around Roland Garros.Big-screen tributes followed from the likes of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and France's last men's champion at Roland Garros, the ever popular 1983 title winner Yannick Noah, as emotions ran high.GB's Boulter scrapes into French Open second roundPublished10 hours agoWawrinka bids fond farewell to French OpenPublished16 hours agoImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Novak Djokovic said his "great friend" Monfils "deserves every bit of celebration - not only as a tennis player but as a human"A former world junior number one and three-...