MELBOURNE, Australia — World No. 4 and U.S. Open finalist Taylor Fritz is out of the Australian Open after Gael Monfils continued his vintage run through the tournament. Fritz took the first set 6-3, but from thereafter Monfils took control, prevailing 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 6-4.
Gael Monfils has joined Roger Federer as the only men to reach the Australian Open’s fourth round at age 38 or older since the tournament field expanded to 128 players in 1988.
Frenchman Monfils is only the second player aged 38 or over, after Roger Federer, to make the last 16 in Melbourne since 1988. He is enjoying quite the start to 2025 after becoming the oldest ever winner of an ATP Tour singles title in Auckland last weekend.
Gaël Monfils's legion of fans is daring to dream big, but the evergreen Frenchman is focused on other priorities than lifting the trophy at Melbourne Park.
World number four Taylor Fritz's exit means five of the top 10 men's seeds have now been knocked out of the season's first major
Taylor Fritz, the highest-seeded American man at the Australian Open, needed just 82 minutes to defeat Cristian Garin on Thursday and advance to the third round.
No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz defeated Jenson Brooksby 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 in an all-American clash Tuesday at the Australian Open to book his spot in the second round.
Monfils upset fourth-seeded Taylor Fritz of the United States 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 6-4 in the third round at Melbourne, Australia. When Monfils made his Australian Open debut in 2005, Fritz, now 27 years old, was 7.
Speaking on the court after the win, Monfils and the crowd were reminded that Monfils’s wife, No. 28 seed Elina Svitolina, would be next to play at Margaret Court Arena, facing off against No. 4 Jasmine Paolini.
Learner Tien and Alex Michelsen were born about 15 months apart and first crossed paths a decade ago when they were playing in Southern
Gael Monfils has often been blamed for not taking full advantage of his talent during his career. Indeed, the French veteran could have achieved more prestigious results although he played in the same era as legends such as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.