French Open: Gael Monfils Survives Fall And Gets Back Up From Two-Sets-To-Love

Last Updated:May 28, 2025, 11:50 IST

Gael Monfils got a 4-6 3-6 6-1 7-6(4) 6-1 opening-round victory over Hugo Dellien at the Roland Garros, his 12th five-set victory at the French Open.

Gael Monfils had a nasty fall at French Open (AP)

Gael Monfils endured a frightening fall early in his first-round match at the French Open but displayed immense determination with a remarkable comeback at his home Slam. He recovered from being two sets down to defeat Hugo Dellien 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(4), 6-1 in a dramatic contest.

For just the third time in his extensive career, the 38-year-old Monfils overturned a two-sets-to-love deficit, achieving this feat for the first time at Roland Garros. The home crowd was thrilled as the match extended past midnight.

In a three-hour, 34-minute thriller, Monfils clinched the victory by winning three consecutive sets, a feat he had not accomplished in a decade since his win over fellow Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the first round of the Australian Open in 2015.

Monfils’ victory marked several milestones. It was his 40th win at Roland Garros, tying him with Yannick Noah for the most wins at the event by a Frenchman in the Open era. Additionally, 12 of his victories have come in five-set matches, an Open era record. He was previously tied with Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka in this category.

“Every time I play Roland-Garros it’s magical. I had a run-in with the courtside signage, which gave me a scare, and it took me a while to come back because of the pressure," Monfils said during an on-court interview. “I want to play well for myself, but also for you, because it’s an honour and a privilege to play in a night session. The energy was high, and I knew the moment the Marseillaise rang out that it had turned. It’s moments like that, when I know I’ve gained the momentum, and with this communion with you, I know it’s won."

Monfils will face No. 5 seed Jack Draper in the second round on Thursday. “Now we’re going to try to recover well because it’s going to be another big battle against Draper," he added.

“I won 40 times here?" said Monfils, who next faces fifth seed Jack Draper.

“It means I’ve played for a long time, that’s probably the reason why."

Monfils, whose best finish at his home Grand Slam was a run to the semi-finals in 2008, registered his 40th win at Roland Garros with Tuesday’s victory to match Yannick Noah’s record for a Frenchman.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Watch CNN-News18 here. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location :

Paris, France

First Published:

News sports French Open: Gael Monfils Survives Fall And Gets Back Up From Two-Sets-To-Love