Jo-Wilfried Tsonga got the ball rolling.
Body in pieces, the former finalist of the Australian Open 2008 published a video on Wednesday April 6 to announce that he would end his career at the end of the next Roland-Garros tournament, where he should benefit from an invitation for all services rendered to French tennis.
Two of his great adventure comrades (Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet) should not take too long to take the same path to the locker room and a well-deserved rest.
With his legendary sense of repartee, Gilles Simon, 37, even split a message on Twitter in response to Tsonga's farewell.
"I'm coming buddy :)", wrote the Niçois, ex-world No. 6 and winner of 14 tournaments on the circuit.
At the start of 2021, Simon had decided to put his career on hold, his head more tired than his body.
“My heart is no longer there at all to travel and play in these conditions, I am unfortunately forced to take a break in order to preserve myself mentally, he explained. Hoping that morale will return as quickly as possible…”
I'm coming buddy :)
— Gilles SIMON (@GillesSimon84) April 7, 2022
After putting away the rackets for a few months, the former Masters semi-finalist ended the year with a record of 5 wins for 17 losses and a withdrawal for medical reasons at the US Open (contact case).
At the last Australian Open, the Habs had one of their biggest disappointments when they were beaten in the first round of qualifying by 17-year-old Australian Edward Winter (6-3, 1-6, 6-3) .
He is now ranked 136th in the world, which obliges him to play most often on the Challenger circuit and also obtain a wild card for the Parisian Grand Slam if this were to be his last.
With his 86th place at the ATP, Richard Gasquet will enter the picture on the clay courts of Porte d'Auteuil.
The Biterrois, 35 years old and pro for 20 years, has warned that he will bow out the day his ranking will no longer allow him direct access to the four Majors.
The clock is turning…
In the "gang of four", Gaël Monfils, 35, has no intention of hanging up for many years if he is not forced to do so by physical glitches.
But the French No. 1, 22nd in the world, will soon find himself alone…