In 2004, four boys’ Grand Slam titles were divided between two 17-year-olds.
Three of them are considered the most talented, and the last one is probably the second-best player – and even then, he’s not prepared to accept being the second-best player.
The first guy went on to have a very good career: a regular in the top 20 in the world, ranked sixth at his peak, and reached two Grand Slam semi-finals. The second player was an inferior teenager who had a stellar career: three Grand Slam titles, two Olympic gold medals, a Davis Cup title, and a world No. 1 ranking. He did this by maximizing every bit of talent he had, while another player was deemed not to have fully reached his potential.
Twenty years have passed since these youth triumphs, and both men are nearing the end of their careers. The more successful player is eight months younger but closer to retirement – seven years of injury battles that have pushed his body to its absolute limit.
Another player who is enjoying a late-life renaissance has struggled with injuries of his own for a few years but is now, at 37, ranked 37th, the oldest player in the world’s top 50. Beloved for his skill and shooting ability, it is also one of the biggest draws for crowds wherever he goes – especially at the Roland Garros stadium in his hometown of Paris.
For a few hours on Monday night, Gael Monfils once again brought joy to the court of Philippe-Chatrier during evening prime time. It wasn’t just the way he beat Brazil’s 24-year-old Thiago Seibos Wilder in four sets, but the way he performed, with a flurry of forehand running passes, leaping backhand volleys and engaging with the crowd. of interaction.
Twenty-four hours earlier, his former junior rival Andy Murray entered the same court to face Stan Wawrinka. Murray, who returned from a recent injury, played a few sets tenaciously but lost 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. This is expected to be his last French Open appearance.
Monfils versus Murray in the first round of the French Open in 2006 (Eric Feferberg/AFP via Getty Images)
For a long time, Murray could be used as a stick to beat Monfils with; the current generation shows what can be done with extra application. But over time, this comparison becomes easier. It would be foolish to think that Monfils – who has 12 titles to his name – didn’t use his ideas correctly – while their separate careers have their own merits.
With a dedication that would make most mortals cringe, Murray has managed to penetrate the pinnacle of contemporary men’s tennis and remain there. Monfils, despite missing out on the promised Grand Slam title, remains one of the most popular players on the tour, filling stadiums around the world. No wonder, when he does something like this…
He changed hands to volley😱@Gael_Monfils left handed!#rolexmontecarlomasters pic.twitter.com/PWRFcPK3Oh
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 10, 2024
Monfils certainly has no regrets.
“No way,” he told me Competitor In a conversation on the eve of the game.
“A lot of people forget where I come from and who I am. No one knows me. Who I am now, I couldn’t even predict that. I’m one of the luckiest people. This career, I never expected . My mom was a nurse – working the night shift to help me play tennis. My dad was working in telecommunications because he was a football player but had to stop early.
“Although I lived in the best area of Paris, I had this dream. Now I’m here talking to you. You know my name. Impossible. I did it.
When Monfils was an all-conquering teenager, Murray was asked at Wimbledon in 2004 if the Frenchman was the boys’ equivalent of Roger Federer.
“No, I don’t think so,” the 17-year-old Murray said with the kind of contrarian thinking that’s becoming a habit.
“He’s doing really well, winning in Australia and France. But I had a tough match with him last week and he didn’t play well in the match today. I won 6-4, 6-1 at Roland Garros last year. Defeat him. So he can be defeated.
Monfils won the Wimbledon junior title that year, while Murray won the U.S. Open. Monfils was hoping to become only the second player to complete a men’s Grand Slam in 1983, after Stefan Edberg in 1983, but failed in the third round at Flushing Meadows.
Monfils after defeating Britain’s Myles Casiri to win Junior Wimbledon (Phil Cole/Getty Images)
It all seems like ancient history now, but the pair’s history goes back much further. “It’s crazy because the first time I played Andy was when I was 11 and he was 10,” Monfils recalled.
Monfils entered the professional tour before Murray and reached the second round at the 2005 Australian Open. Both he and Murray reached the third round at Wimbledon that year, and Monfils was named ATP Rookie of the Year at the end of the season.
The following year, the two met in the first round of the French Open, and their paths crossed again. Monfils won in five sets to avenge Murray’s victory in his first professional tour match in Hamburg.
Surprisingly, the two have only met six times on tour, with Murray leading 4-2 in the head-to-head meetings. Their last outing at this level was a decade ago, during the period when they were dominant in their youth days. This French Open quarter-final match could be seen as a microcosm of the early days of their careers, with Murray eking out a five-set victory.
Before that match, Murray said: “He’s a great athlete – probably the best athlete we have in tennis. He’s playing his best tennis here so far in a Grand Slam tournament. He loves playing in front of big crowds. Gayle has always been a great entertainer and he’s perfect for the game.
Murray was now a two-time Grand Slam champion, while Monfils had not reached the semifinals of a major since the 2008 French Open. reached the semi-finals but was beaten by Novak Djokovic in a bizarre match defined by the fact that the Serb ripped his shirt off, the score was chaotic and the heat and humidity were so Intense and seemed to confuse both players.
It remains the furthest Monfils has ever come in a Grand Slam, but in the eight years since then he has reached the quarter-finals of two majors (one of which came in 2022 at the age of 35 at the Australian Open) and won an additional six titles, doubling his career total. No one has reached Master (1000) level.
Murray achieved 14 of them in addition to all his other major successes.
Monfils and Murray after the quarter-finals at Roland Garros (Kenzo Triboillaurd/AFP via Getty Images)
“Everyone is different,” Monfils said of his former junior rivals. “We have different purposes. I’m a huge fan of Andy. His achievements, his career, the person he is. He’s a very respected guy and a cool guy. A legend of the sport. figure.
“I never judge others, everyone thinks differently. I try to learn from him and what he does is very good. I’m trying not to make similar decisions but to make the best decision for me.
Monfils also dismissed the idea that his talent meant he didn’t work hard or could work harder. “(People said) ‘Ah, Monfils didn’t follow the rules’,” he told the Guardian this month. “Guys, don’t think so because I enjoy myself on the pitch. I do a lot of work out there.
Watching Monfils play in front of his hometown fans remains one of the most enjoyable experiences in tennis. How they feed off each other’s energy, it’s a symbiotic relationship.
It didn’t take long for the commotion to begin in the Chatrier courtroom on Monday night. By the time Monfils somehow chased down a volley and hit a forehand pass winner in the seventh game, the brass was already in full swing. He asked the crowd to make some more noise – and of course they agreed. It was a great end to a game that showcased Monfils’ superb defensive and shooting skills. From the way he was moving, it was hard to believe he was forced to leave Geneva last week due to illness and has been taking antibiotics.
His main cheerleader started the second set with a volley during the early break, singing “Allez allez Gael” to the tune of “Everybody Dance Now.”
But he ultimately lost that set, broken at love, by a series of modest errors, evidence of a lack of concentration that may have prevented him from reaching his goal. Very Top of the game.
Even in that set, there was a leaping backhand volley and a beautifully disguised lob; both men stood up.
“I love you, Gail!” one supporter roared. “Me too!” shouted again.
A wonderful backhand pass helped Monfils break serve after falling behind in the third set, and Mexico quickly hit a climax. Monfils won the third set, and also the fourth – sealing the victory in a satisfying brand of fashion: Ace, ace, bad smash, ace, winner. The final shot was a classic, graceful dunk — Pete Sampras’s version of the “slam dunk” of yesteryear.
Monfils roared with joy, did a short dance, beat his chest and performed his signature Black Panther celebration in all four directions of the court. The win made him the French man with the most Grand Slam wins, 122, ahead of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
🙅♂️#rolandgarros @Gael_Monfils pic.twitter.com/nV39WQieSm
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2024
