NEW DELHI: Gael Monfils would have preferred to have defeated rising Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in straight sets at the Australian Open’s first round.
But he was able to win it in five sets thanks to the entertainer’s instinct.
Age, experience, and stamina outlasted strength and youth in a fight between 38-year-old Monfils and 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard, which helped negate one of the greatest serves in tennis.
Monfils lost the third set and on Mpetshi Perricard’s service in the fifth set before ultimately winning 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-4. This happened just days after Monfils defeated Zizou Bergs in the final in Auckland, New Zealand, to become the oldest player to win an ATP Tour title.
He overtook Roger Federer, who won his career’s penultimate tour victory in Switzerland at the age of 38 years, 74 days, when he won his 13th tour championship last weekend at the age of 38 years, 132 days.
Despite coming into the match at different stages of their careers, Monfils and Mpetshi Perricard, 21, have a similar love for their sport. Both occasionally take the unorthodox route to point-setting and occasionally use between-the-legs shots during rallies.
Monfils, who has a 34-18 career record and been to the Australian Open quarterfinals in 2016 and 2022, got the upper hand against a player making his Melbourne Park debut.
With the exception of Wimbledon, where he made it to the fourth round as a lucky loser the previous year, Mpetshi Perricard had never made it past the first round at any major. However, following a breakthrough year in 2024 that saw him win two titles, he was seeded 30th.
Monfils now has a 20-19 win-loss record in five-set matches and is the Frenchman with the most Grand Slam singles victories.
“I’ve been enjoying myself since the first day I played tennis and (at) 60 years old I will still have this joy,” he had said after taking home the title in Auckland.
