In a series of stunning upsets at the Australian Open, French veteran Gaël Monfils and his wife, Elina Svitolina, delivered remarkable performances that captivated tennis fans worldwide. Monfils, at 38 years old, turned back the clock to defeat the USA's No. 41 Jenson Brooksby, while Svitolina ousted the women's world No. 1, Iga Świątek. These victories have set the stage for an exciting continuation of the tournament.
Monfils' victory over Brooksby was a testament to his enduring skill and passion for the game. Sealing his win with a powerful ace — his 24th of the match — Monfils celebrated with a lively shimmy and dance on the court. This win makes him the second-oldest male player in history to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open since its move to Melbourne Park in 1988. Following this triumph, Monfils is set to face American Ben Shelton in the next round.
“As I always say, I keep playing for those matches. Play a big player, big stadium, good crowd, good energy. When you’re 38 years old, it’s what I want and I had it. I was very fortunate to win it but it’s exactly why I’m playing.” – Gaël Monfils
Monfils' journey this season has been nothing short of extraordinary. Earlier this year, he won the ASB Classic in Auckland, becoming the oldest player to ever win an ATP Tour title. His serve has proven to be an unstoppable weapon, particularly against Taylor Fritz, and his varied game from the baseline was key to his victory over Fritz.
Despite his impressive form, Monfils remains humble about his prospects at the Australian Open.
“No. To be honest with you, it’s not even a dream to win the tournament. My dream is to be old with a lot of kids and healthy.” – Gaël Monfils
“That’s your dream, I guess, for me to win a slam,” he joked. “My dream is to have an unbelievable family. Tennis is cool, of course you want to have goals and dreams, but my dream is out there.” – Gaël Monfils
Meanwhile, Elina Svitolina's victory over Iga Świątek has been hailed as one of her finest achievements. Her win was inspired by watching her husband's triumph earlier that day.
“It was a crazy battle. I got inspired after my husband’s win,” – Elina Svitolina
“I watched a little bit of that match, of course it was tough to miss.” – Elina Svitolina
The tournament also saw other notable performances. Learner Tien continued his impressive run by defeating Corentin Moutet 7-6, 6-3, 6-3. Ben Shelton, seeded 21st, overcame Karen Khachanov in a four-set thriller with a scoreline of 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6. In an all-American clash, Madison Keys emerged victorious against Danielle Collins with a straight-set win of 6-4, 6-4. Additionally, Emma Navarro secured a hard-fought victory over Ons Jabeur in a three-set battle, concluding with scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
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