The curtain fell on Monfils just before midnight when he lost to French countryman Hugo Gaston 6-2 6-3 3-6 2-6 6-0.
It was Monfils' final appearance at Roland Garros the 39-year-old walked out to chants of "Ga-el! Ga-el!" on Court Philippe-Chatrier. He received loud encouragement throughout, demanding applause when he hit spectacular winners and raising his arm when he won the third set.
But he also looked tired, often hunching over with his hands on his knees. After clawing back a two-set deficit he had little energy left against an opponent 14 years younger.
Monfils reached the semi-finals at the 2008 French Open and the quarters on three other occasions, but ultimately fell short after being touted for a great career following junior titles at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in 2004.
He won 13 ATP Tour titles and lost 22 finals — including three at Masters level. His reputation as a showman took precedence over his modest results.
"Every year I come to play at the French Open, I get goosebumps. Every time, I say to myself 'this is magical'. I've created something powerful, unique, exceptional," said Monfils.
"I'm going to miss you. This tournament is fabulous, it's magical. Roland Garros, I love you, I owe you everything."
Earlier on Monday (Tuesday AEST), Stan Wawrinka lost 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4 to Jesper de Jong in the first round.
The 41-year-old Swiss, a three-time grand slam winner, is also retiring at the end of the season and too made his final appearance in Paris 21 years after his first.
De Jong sealed victory at Court Simonne-Mathieu with a whipped forehand winner, then urged the fans to applaud Wawrinka, whose face was almost as red as the baking-hot clay as temperatures soared.
"It's hard, it's hard to say goodbye to you here," an emotional Wawrinka said.
"It's because of Roland Garros that I wanted to become a tennis player.
"For more than 20 years I experienced these emotions, you never want it to stop ... I have given everything for this sport."
He knows it will be difficult to let go, although he still has Wimbledon and the US Open to come.
His stunning 2015 run to the title saw him defeat heavy favourite Novak Djokovic in the final after downing another all-time great, Roger Federer, in the quarters.
Elsewhere, Norway's two-time finalist Casper Ruud had to take multiple medical timeouts as Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin saved five match points to force a fifth set. But 15th seed Ruud ultimately won 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 0-6 6-2.
Last year's quarter-finalist and 19th seed Frances Tiafoe beat fellow American Eliot Spizzirri 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-3, while two-time quarter-finalist and Russia's 11th seed Andrey Rublev outwitted Ignacio Buse 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 7-5.
American fifth seed Ben Shelton outplayed Spaniard Daniel Merida Aguilar 6-3 6-3 6-4 to progress and Italian Matteo Berrettini said he was "a little bit psycho" for embracing the grind of injury comebacks following his 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 6-1 6-2 win over Marton Fucsovics in his first French Open appearance since 2021.
With Reuters.
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