Gaël Monfils began his night session against Argentinian Sebastian Baez on Tuesday, May 30, in what could be his last Roland-Garros. And, for his entry, the 30-year-old Frenchman, down to 394th place in the world, capsized the Porte d’Auteuil and signed an incredible victory after being down 4 games to 0 in the fifth set, ball 5-0 against him, by the Argentinian, 42nd in the world and clay court specialist. This is the very first success for Gaël Monfils since his return to the circuit in March after seven months of absence, the fault of a recalcitrant right foot.
It was twenty past midnight when the Frenchman, finally winner 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5, lay down, back on the clay, shaken by sobs, after coming to end of Baez, as he was plagued by cramps and the South American had served for the game at 5-4 minutes earlier.
The public, who had been in a trance for a long time despite the cool nights, then thanked their darling with a last Marseillaise.
“I had a new breath, pushed by the public. There are people who shouted, I said to myself ‘Come on, let’s go again’, and here it is… It’s exceptional, I have no words,” said the 36-year-old Frenchman who is taking part in his sixteenth Roland-Garros.
“We’ll try to have a great party for the second round too,” Monfils promised. The challenge promises to be immense against the young Dane Holger Rune, world number 6 and serious outsider of the Parisian Grand Slam, strong on ocher in 2023 from two finals in Monte-Carlo and Rome, in addition to a title in Munich in the meantime. .
