Vintage Monfils sends Fritz packing from Australian Open
The win made Monfils the second oldest man to reach the fourth round since 1988 when the tournament started having full, 128-player draws. Only Federer, in 2020, was older.
French flair topped American firepower as Gael Monfils turned back the clock to dump fourth seed Taylor Fritz out of the Australian Open on Saturday and book a place in the last 16.
At 38, Monfils is enjoying a late-career flourish and Fritz felt the full brunt of it as the Frenchman rallied from a set down to claim a thrilling 3-6 7-5 7-6(1) 6-4 win in the afternoon sunshine at Margaret Court Arena.
Soaking up punishment from Fritz with a stonewall defence, Monfils dismantled the American with pure tennis "IQ" and danced a jig after sealing the win with an ace down the "T".
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The win made Monfils the second oldest man to reach the fourth round since 1988 when the tournament started having full, 128-player draws. Only Federer, in 2020, was older.
"It was an unbelievable match," said Monfils, who is riding an eight-match winning streak.
"Taylor is that strong, serving very well.
"I felt like I could move great today and the game-plan was to hold my best line and definitely change the tempo.
"I think I've done the job."
Monfils, who won the Auckland Classic in the lead up to Melbourne Park, will play the winner of American Ben Shelton and Italy's Lorenzo Musetti.
Fritz, the U.S. Open finalist, bows out with a reality check after making the quarter-finals in Melbourne last year.
The powerful American may look back at the match as a missed opportunity against the oldest player remaining in the draw. In reality, though, he was outplayed by the clever Frenchman after taking the first set.
"It's just been fortunate but you know every day is different," said Monfils.
"We work hard, I try to be very disciplined with the recovery. I am a strong believer in myself, I still believe I can do some damage.
"With a little bit of luck here we are in the second week of the Australian Open."
Monfils took the court in the match before his wife Elina Svitolina was due on Margaret Court Arena to play Jasmine Paolini - the women's fourth seed.
"I think I warmed up the court for her," he joked.
