Gaël Monfils and Corentin Moutet qualified, more French women involved, Iga Swiatek unfolds… What to remember from the 5th day

For the first time in eight years, five French players are present in the 3rd round in Melbourne, while for the second time since 1987, no French player has qualified for this stage of the tournament.

Mixed day for the Tricolores. While no French woman is now in the race, Corentin Moutet and Gaël Monfils qualified for the 3rd round, Thursday January 16. This is the first time since 2017 that five Blues have reached the 3rd round at the Australian Open.

Last Frenchwoman entered, Gracheva eliminated

The hopes of French women’s tennis rested on her. The last Frenchwoman in the running, Varvara Gracheva (69th) was beaten by the German Eva Lys, 128th in the world and lucky loserin the second round of the tournament. Aged 23, the German right-hander won 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in almost two hours of play. The last Australian Open where no French woman managed to get past the second round goes back to 2020. This is the second time that this has happened since 1987. In 2024, Océane Dodin had achieved the best French career in the women’s table by rising to the eighth of final.

Monfils and Moutet qualified, five French people in the third round

French veteran Gaël Monfils, 41st in the world, continues his journey in Melbourne. He qualified for the third round by dominating the German Daniel Altmaier (101st), 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3). Winner last weekend of the ATP 250 tournament in Auckland (New Zealand), the “Monf” thus won a seventh consecutive victory. Thanks to this new round completed, Gaël Monfils reached the third round of the Australian Open for the 12th time in his career (in 19 participations). Among active players, only the ten-time winner in Melbourne Novak Djokovic did better (17). He will challenge the American Taylor Fritz (No. 4) in the next round.

He thus joins his compatriots Ugo Humbert (14th), Arthur Fils (21st), Benjamin Bonzi (64th) and Corentin Moutet, winner in four sets of the American Mitchell Krueger (146th) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4.

The favorites are present

No surprises among the favorites. In the women’s table, the Polish Iga Swiatek (2nd) played in one hour against the Slovaque Rebecca Sramkova (49e), 6-0, 6-2. The No. 6 seed, Elena Rybakina, easily defeated the American Iva Jovic (191st) 6-0, 6-3.

Among the men, Alex de Minaur continues his good run at home. The world number 8 won in three sets against the American Tristan Boyer (136th) 6-2, 6-4, 6-3. His compatriot Taylor Fritz (4th), had a better fate by sharply beating, and dropping only three games, the qualifier Cristian Garin (150th).