There is no age to find a level that we thought was buried a little too far away. At 38, Gaël Monfils continues to amaze everyone at the Australian Open. The Frenchman dismissed Taylor Fritz, 4th player in the world, this Saturday in the 3rd round (3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-4). Here he is qualified for the 8th finals, with the addition of an open draw.
Happy but not euphoric
“It’s a very good victory. I think I played well, I managed to be tactically stable, in what I wanted to do throughout the match. I’m happy with the way I played,” reacted Monf at a press conference. Happy but not euphoric, he just savors the moment, of still being able, at his advanced age, to master matches in three winning sets in this way.
“On some occasions, I was courageous, I was happy to get my lines, to be a little more violent in the tie-break of the third set. I’m happy to have had a big match, he continued. I felt good, I locked well as I wanted, I didn’t overplay, I managed to take it where I wanted. I’m happy. »
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-Winner of the Aukland tournament before arriving in Melbourne, Monfils is in a prosperous period… and unexpected. To put into context the feat of having taken out the American, we must remember that he had not beaten a top 5 in the world in a Grand Slam since David Ferrer, at Roland-Garros, almost 17 years ago. Dizzy.
“I didn’t even know this stat,” confided the Frenchman when a journalist told him. I don’t look at stats. I’m just happy to have won. On the court, whether you play 4th, 10th or 100th in the world, it’s always a battle. »
Now for the rest, this not unplayable round of 16 against another American, Ben Shelton (20th in the world), who took out Lorenzo Musetti. “Once again, I’m not going to be the favorite,” commented Monfils. Which does not prevent ambition. As for whether he dreams in the back of his mind of playing in a Grand Slam final, and winning it, we’re not there yet of course.
OUR FILE ON THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN
” Earn ? No. To be honest with you, it’s not even a dream to win the tournament. My dream is to be old, in good shape, with lots of children, he replied with a smile. Tennis is cool, but my dream is elsewhere. » Words full of wisdom, and which found an echo just after his match, when he went to the stands to support his wife, Elina Svitolina, opposed to the Italian Paolini. She also won. The two lovers together in the second week, isn’t life beautiful?
