Monfils Prolongs Stay in Monte-Carlo with Emotional Win over Griekspoor
Gaël Monfils – the man, the myth, the legend – continues to bring joy to the tennis world.
On Sunday, the 39-year-old brought his personal brand of magic to the Monte-Carlo Country Club, where he defeated Tallon Griekspoor 6-7(1), 6-1, 6-4 to become the oldest man to win a match at the event since 1973.
“Long way, long ride,” an elated Monfils said after the win.
Monfils, who will face Alexander Bublik in the second round, is playing in his last main draw at Monte-Carlo, 21 years after making his tournament debut in the principality.
Only Ivo Karlovic has won a match at a Masters event at an older age than Monfils.
| No. | Player | Age | Event | Rd. | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivo Karlovic | 40 | 2019 Indian Wells | 3R | Prajnesh Gunneswaran |
| 2 | Ivo Karlovic | 40 | 2019 Indian Wells | 2R | Borna Coric |
| 3 | Ivo Karlovic | 40 | 2019 Indian Wells | 1R | Matthew Ebden |
| 4 | Gael Monfils | 39 (7M) | 2026 Monte-Carlo | R1 | Tallon Griekspoor |
| 5 | Jimmy Connors | 39 | 1992 Miami | 2R | Tomas Carbonell |
| 6 | Stan Wawrinka | 39 | 2024 Shanghai | 1R | Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard |
| 7 | Gael Monfils | 39 | 2026 Indian Wells | 1R | Alexis Galarneau |
“Never easy, the first match on clay. I had to find the balance, with of course a lot of emotions coming up here, knowing it’s my last appearance.
“At the end, I found my range, I found my game, and I was pretty pleased.”
The 2016 finalist improves to 16-12 lifetime in Monte-Carlo. He was serenaded by fans before, during and after his victory.
He also passed Richard Gasquet to top the list of most Masters 1000 match wins by French players, with 145.
Asked if it is difficult to simply focus on tennis with all the emotions he’s carrying in his final season, Monfils said:
“Sometimes it’s not easy, but the thing is I love to play with emotion,” Monfils said. “I love to play with the crowd. The balance is quite easy for me to find because it’s joy. At the end of the day, I can let my creativity come out on the court, and that helps me a lot.”
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