Just when you thought the saga of Gaël Monfils had reached its climax, he pulled a spectacular surprise on everyone. On Tuesday evening at Roland Garros, the 38-year-old French sensation orchestrated a breathtaking five-set comeback against Hugo Dellien: 4–6, 3–6, 6–1, 7–6(4), 6–1.
Initially, it seemed Monfils might not even complete the match. He suffered a jarring fall into the courtside advertisements just five points in, lying on the ground for a moment, obviously rattled. Many players would have thrown in the towel, but not Gaël.
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Despite dropping the first two sets and appearing lost — both physically and mentally — something shifted. He found his rhythm, the crowd roared in support, and suddenly it felt like we were witnessing the Gaël of 2010 again. He obliterated the third set, narrowly clinched a tense tiebreak in the fourth, and then sprinted away with the fifth.
That last set? Pure Monfils magic. His energy, style, and passion electrified the fans in Court Philippe-Chatrier, who could sense how much this victory meant to him in front of a hometown audience.
“I wasn’t going to exit like that,” he remarked post-match. And indeed, he didn’t. He persevered and showcased why he remains one of the most thrilling players in tennis, even at the age of 38.
Up next for Gaël is Jack Draper on Thursday.
Regardless of the outcome, encounters like these are exactly why fans are drawn to Monfils. He offers something extraordinary — especially in the heart of Paris.
