The French Tennis Federation has laid out several tributes and new initiatives for the 2026 Roland Garros in a what’s-new guide published Thursday. Among the highlights are three special farewells and a pilot allowing players to wear connected devices during matches.

Gaël Monfils will be given control of Court Philippe Chatrier on May 21 for an evening billed as “Gael & Friends.” “Interactive segments and multiple surprises will punctuate this charity evening, with proceeds benefiting Terre d’Impact, the FFT’s fundraising foundation,” the announcement shared. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet, along with “current stars of the game”, are scheduled to join Monfils during the festivities ahead of his 20th appearance at his home major.

Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo said: “Gaël has a history with Roland-Garros that is full of love and emotion, but he’s also a showman. We’ll be giving him free rein on May 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo”

Caroline Garcia, who retired in 2025, will return to Chatrier for a ceremony on June 4 between the women’s semifinals. The former world No. 4 is expecting her first child later this year with husband Borja Duran.

Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 Roland Garros champion, is described by organisers as a strong candidate to receive a wild card after narrowly missing the main-draw cutoff. Tournament officials say Wawrinka will be honoured at Porte d’Auteuil following his last match.

The schedule also includes a May 26 tribute marking the 70th anniversary of Althea Gibson’s major singles triumph, to be held inside the venue’s largest show court.

Separately, the FFT confirmed a pilot programme that will permit competitors to wear connected devices during play. Organisers said the trial is expected to be followed by Wimbledon and the US Open, as the insights these devices provide become a growing topic of discussion.

Jamie Murray confirmed his retirement on social media Wednesday, announcing that his long run in professional tennis is over. The former doubles world No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam doubles champion posted images spanning his career and wrote that “[his] tennis journey [is coming] to an end after 36 years.”

In the message, Murray acknowledged the role his family played in his career. He thanked his mother Judy and his brother Andy for their support, saying their backing helped him “achieve everything I could in the game.” He added: “I feel very fortunate and privileged for all the amazing experiences this great sport has given me,” the 40-year-old wrote in the Instagram post.

Murray finishes his career with 34 tour-level titles, two of those won alongside his younger brother. The Murray pairing was central to Great Britain’s 2015 Davis Cup triumph, the country’s first Davis Cup victory in 79 years, with the brothers taking crucial doubles matches in the quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds.

In 2016 Jamie reached a milestone for British doubles players by becoming the first British man to attain the world No. 1 ranking in doubles; he held that position for nine weeks. He also joined Andy as his doubles partner for Andy’s final Wimbledon tournament in 2024.

The social post offered a reflective ending to a career that spanned more than two decades and encompassed Grand Slam titles, a stint at the top of the doubles rankings and a key role in a historic national team victory. Murray’s announcement marks the close of a defining presence in doubles competition and a notable chapter in recent British tennis history.

Nearly 40 years after he lifted it, Boris Becker’s 1989 US Open Men’s Singles trophy sold at auction for more than $357,000. The lot is now the most expensive tennis trophy ever sold and the second-most expensive piece of tennis memorabilia ever to reach the market, behind only Novak Djokovic’s racquet, which sold for $450,000 in February.

Prestige Memorabilia noted the rarity of the sale: “Such trophies virtually never leave the possession of the player who won them. To the best of our knowledge, this example represents the only known US Open Men’s Singles champion trophy from the Open Era ever to reach the public market.”

Becker received the sterling silver trophy after defeating Ivan Lendl in the 1989 final, a victory that represented his fourth Grand Slam title and his only US Open championship. Crafted by Tiffany & Co., the trophy had been on loan to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island before appearing at auction.

The trophy’s appearance on the market traces back to Becker’s bankruptcy proceedings. He was declared bankrupt in 2017 and, beginning in 2019, sold trophies and personal memorabilia to raise funds for creditors. Items reported as sold included the 1989 US Open trophy, a 1985 Wimbledon replica trophy, a 1988 Davis Cup trophy, and a Hall of Fame ring. The bankruptcy case led to criminal proceedings; Becker was convicted on four charges under the Insolvency Act, served a fast-tracked sentence in 2022, and was released in December 2022. During the London court proceedings he reportedly owed creditors $62.5 million and said a majority of his career trophies had been sold, gifted, or “lost,” leaving him unable to produce them for creditors.

According to the auction lot description, the trophy stands 14 inches tall, is made of sterling silver, and bears the inscription: “United States Tennis Association / United States Open Tennis Championship / Men’s Singles / Boris Becker / 1989.”

© 2026 David Benito