MELBOURNE, Australia — Gael Monfils has made history by becoming the second man, alongside Roger Federer, to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open at the age of 38 or older since the tournament transitioned to a 128-player format in 1988. Monfils achieved this remarkable feat after defeating the fourth seed, Taylor Fritz, with a scoreline of 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 6-4 on Saturday.
To emphasize his victory, Monfils struck an impressive 134 mph (215 kph) ace—his 24th of the match, which was double the amount hit by Fritz. Following this, he celebrated jubilantly at the baseline as the enthusiastic fans at Margaret Court Arena erupted in cheers, waving red, white, and blue French flags in support.
Fritz acknowledged the challenge posed by Monfils during the match, stating, “It was really tough to hurt him. He just got back everything. I felt like I wasn’t even hitting. It seemed almost too easy for him to hurt me, for how much I was struggling to hurt him. He played really, really well. Not too much I could do.”
Starting the season on a high note, Monfils clinched a title at a hard-court event in Auckland, New Zealand, making him the oldest male player to secure a tournament victory since at least 1990. Describing his current mindset, Monfils said, “Just fortunate. But every day is different. We work hard. I try to be very disciplined with the recovery. I am a strong believer in myself. Strong belief I can do some damage.” Although he has never progressed past the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, he has experienced two major semifinals, the latest being at the 2016 U.S. Open. “With a little luck, here we are in the second week of the Australian Open,” he added.
Federer, now retired, was slightly older at 38 when he reached the semifinals in Melbourne in 2020, marking his final appearance at the tournament. In Monfils’ upcoming match, he will face the much younger 22-year-old American, Ben Shelton, who is seeded 21st and recently defeated Italy’s 16th seed Lorenzo Musetti with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Playing in front of a vibrant audience, Monfils showcased a thrilling form of tennis, achieving an impressive ratio of 58 winners to 34 unforced errors while allowing just one service game to slip away. He successfully finished 11 out of 15 points at the net, compared to Fritz’s performance of 16 out of 30 in similar situations. “I’ve done the job,” Monfils stated confidently.
Fritz, who was the runner-up to Jannik Sinner at the U.S. Open last September, became this year’s highest-seeded male player to exit the competition in Melbourne. During the match, he received treatment for his injured right foot from a trainer.
This win marks the end of a 12-match losing streak for Monfils against top-five players in Grand Slam events. Coincidentally, Monfils’ wife, Elina Svitolina, also found success that same night in the same arena, defeating two-time Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini, with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 6-0. “I warmed up the court for her,” Monfils quipped, later taking a seat in the stands to cheer on Svitolina as she played.
