Monfils overcomes compatriot in Australian Open match for the ages
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The pragmatic pro in Gael Monfils would like to have finished off his first-round win in straight sets against up-and-coming fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the Australian Open.
The entertainer's instinct in him got a lot of value out of clinching it in five.
In a duel between the 38-year-old Monfils and 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard, it was age, experience and endurance that outweighed power and youth — helping nullify one of the biggest serves in tennis.
Days after Monfils became the oldest player to win an ATP Tour title after beating Zizou Bergs the final in Auckland, New Zealand, Monfils wasted match points in the third set and on Mpetshi Perricard’s serve in the fifth before finally clinching a 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-4 victory.
When he claimed his 13th tour title at 38 years, 132 days last weekend, he took over from Roger Federer, who was 38 years, 74 days old when he won the final tour title of his career in Switzerland.
Monfils and the 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard entered the match at opposite ends of the career spectrum, but share a passion for their sport. Both use between-the-legs shots at times during rallies, and sometimes take the unconventional approach to setting up points.
With a career record of 34-18 as the Australian Open, where he reached the quarterfinals in 2016 and 2022, Monfils had the advantage against a player on debut at Melbourne Park.
Mpetshi Perricard had never advanced beyond the first round at any major other than Wimbledon (where he reached the fourth round as a lucky loser last year) but he was seeded 30th after a breakout year in 2024 that included two titles.
Monfils, who has won more Grand Slam singles matches than any other French man, now also has a 20-19 win-loss record in five-set matches.
After winning the trophy in Auckland, he said “I’ve been enjoying myself since the first day I played tennis and (at) 60 years old I will still have this joy.”
No. 13 Holger Rune also needed five sets to beat Zhang Zhizhen 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, No. 19 Karen Khachanov advanced over Adrian Mannarino, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-3, and 2022 semifinalist Matteo Berrettini beat Cameron Norrie 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.
No. 4 Taylor Fritz, runner-up at the U.S. Open and the ATP Finals and part of the U.S. team that won the United Cup last week, needed less than two hours for a 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 win over Jenson Brooksby in other Day 3 matches.
“Sometimes when you’re playing really good at the end of the year, that off-season almost a little bit kills the momentum,” Fritz said, but “I’ve been playing pretty well since the start of the year. United Cup I played pretty good. There’s no reason for me not to be very confident.”