Veteran Monfils Defeats Fritz to Reach Australian Open Last 16

Gael Monfils produced a stunning upset at the Australian Open, defeating fourth seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-4 to reach the last 16 and continue his impressive run in Melbourne.

Gael Monfils pulled off a stunning upset at the Australian Open on Saturday, defeating fourth seed Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-4 to reach the last 16. The 38-year-old Frenchman, who is competing in his 19th Australian Open, fought back from a set down to secure the victory. This marks Monfils' sixth time reaching the fourth round at Melbourne Park, and he becomes the second-oldest man to achieve this feat, after Roger Federer.

Gael Monfils, ranked 41st in the world, proved to be a formidable opponent for Fritz, who had been in impressive form prior to their match, dropping just eight games in his two previous encounters. However, Monfils' unrelenting precision groundstrokes and powerful serve ultimately wore down the world number four. “The strategy was to hold the baseline and definitely change the tempo. Hit some big shots down the line and used some shape with my forehand, some slice with my backhand and served well,” Monfils explained.

Monfils' victory comes on the heels of his win at the Auckland Classic, where he became the oldest singles champion in ATP Tour history. The Frenchman is feeling confident about his chances in the tournament, stating, “I have a strong belief in myself, a strong belief I can still do some damage and with a little bit of luck we are in the second week of the Australian Open.” Monfils will face either Ben Shelton or Lorenzo Musetti in the next round, as he bids to secure a quarter-final berth.

Timeless. Ageless. Balletic. Brutal. Beautiful.

Magnifique.#AO2025 • @Gael_Monfils pic.twitter.com/fSDl3lJky8

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2025

The match between Gael Monfils and Taylor Fritz began with a fiercely contested baseline battle, featuring two extended rallies of 29 and 24 shots, respectively. However, it was Monfils who ultimately gifted Fritz a break opportunity, double-faulting to trail 3-5. Fritz capitalized on this mistake, holding serve to secure the first set 6-3.

The second set witnessed a continuation of the intense baseline exchanges, with neither player able to gain a break-point advantage until Fritz served to level the set at 5-5. Monfils, who impressively won 95% of his first-serve points, sensed an opportunity and induced a series of errors from Fritz, breaking to love and claiming the set. Fritz required a medical timeout during the changeover to receive treatment on his right foot.

Upon resuming play, Fritz managed to save two break points and maintain serve at 3-3 in the third set. However, the set ultimately progressed to a tiebreak, where Monfils dominated, racing to a 6-0 lead with a flurry of impressive shots to claim the set. With momentum on his side, Monfils dug deep to win a grueling 18-point fourth game in the fourth set, saving two break points in the process. He then seized the initiative, breaking Fritz's serve to establish a 5-4 lead before ultimately completing the upset victory.