Gaël Monfils, 38, has just created a sensation at the Australian Open! The Frenchman achieved the feat of eliminating the American Taylor Fritz, 4th in the world, at the end of an epic match. A new chapter in the Monfils legend…
French tennis can be proud of its valiant representative. At 38, Gaël Monfils created a sensation at the Australian Open by achieving a resounding feat in the 3rd round. Opposed to the American Taylor Fritz, 4th player in the world, the Parisian delivered an XXL performance to win in 4 sets after a titanic fight.
An epic match in 4 acts
Trailing by a set, Monfils was able to turn the tide thanks to his steely mentality and his flamboyant game. The Frenchman raised his level to win the 2nd and 3rd sets in the tie-break, galvanized by the unconditional support of the audience at the Rod Laver Arena. In a breathtaking 4th set, “La Monf” brought his experience to bear to break at the right time and conclude in style.
It’s one of the best victories of my career. At my age, beating the world No. 4 in these conditions is just huge!
Gaël Monfils
A rare feat in his career
If the 41st in the world often performs well in Grand Slams, his victories against members of the Top 5 can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Monfils had not beaten a player from the top quartet in a Major since 2008 and a victory against David Ferrer at Roland-Garros. This performance therefore appears to be a real feat considering his career.
-Hope renewed at 38
Many saw Monfils on the decline after a lackluster 2024 season. But the Frenchman has lost none of his legendary grinta. Invigorated by his title in Auckland at the beginning of January, he approaches the Australian Open with a warrior’s mentality. His convincing success against Fritz proves that he still has good leftovers and that he will have to be reckoned with in Melbourne.
The rest of the journey promises to be exciting
Thanks to this feat, Monfils advances to the round of 16 where he will face Lorenzo Musetti or Ben Shelton. Full of confidence, the finalist of the 2016 US Open has a card to play to rally the quarters and continue to thrill his supporters. If her physique holds up, “La Monf” can dream of a crazy epic in Melbourne at almost 40 years old.
The keys to this feat
How to explain this feat of Monfils? Several elements come into play:
- His excellent start to the season which gave him confidence
- His offensive and varied game which disturbed Fritz
- His powerful forehand which wreaked havoc
- His fighting spirit and his foolproof mentality
- His love of the public and the Australian Open
Proof that even at 38 years old, a champion like Gaël Monfils can still excel and achieve great things. What if his best performance in Australia was yet to come?
