Gael Monfils shocks Taylor Fritz to reach Australian Open fourth round

In a stunning display of resilience and skill, 38-year-old Gael Monfils knocked out fourth seed Taylor Fritz to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday. The Frenchman turned back the clock with a thrilling 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(1), 6-4 win on Margaret Court Arena, celebrating with a dance after sealing his victory with an ace.

Monfils, known for his flair and athleticism, absorbed heavy hits from Fritz but countered with his crafty defensive play, frustrating the powerful American throughout the match. "I felt good. I felt that this moment I wanted to do that," said Monfils about his post-match celebration.
"I want to be myself... That was my way to express my joy."

The win made Monfils the second-oldest man to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open since the tournament adopted a 128-player draw in 1988, with only Roger Federer, in 2020, being older. The Frenchman now shares the record for the most singles wins (37) by a Frenchman at Melbourne Park with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Monfils, who will face American Ben Shelton in the next round, is riding a wave of momentum after capturing the Auckland Classic title earlier this season, becoming the oldest ATP title winner ever. "I think I'm the best athlete at 38 years old on the tour, yes," Monfils said with a smile.
"I felt like I could move great today, and the game plan was to hold my best line and definitely change the tempo. I think I've done the job."

For Fritz, the loss marks a disappointing exit after reaching the quarter-finals in Melbourne last year. Despite taking the first set, Fritz struggled to keep up with Monfils’ changing pace and unrelenting defense, eventually being overwhelmed.

"It sucks to go out in the third round," said Fritz, who is 11 years younger than Monfils. "The way it happened, I'm probably not going to lose too much sleep over it, as someone who is hypercritical of themselves normally. It seemed almost too easy for him to hurt me for how much I was struggling to hurt him."

Monfils’ victory was further sweetened later in the day when his wife, Elina Svitolina, defeated the fourth seed Jasmine Paolini on the same court, setting up a delightful family double. "I think I warmed up the court for her," Monfils joked before his wife’s win.

As for Monfils' ambitions for the second week, he dismissed the suggestion that winning the title would be his "dream," instead prioritizing health and family. "My dream is to be old and with a lot of kids and healthy," he said.

SportsLigue