Gael Monfils speaks with media after progressing to the quarter-finals in Auckland. Video / Michael Burgess
Gael Monfils is still making history – but he is only concerned about the next match.
The French legend added another layer to his longevity on Thursday, as he became the oldest man in the professional era (since 1969) to reach the last four in Auckland.
On Friday he willbe just the seventh player – joining the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Jimmy Connors – to feature in an ATP tour semifinal as a 38-year-old.
The fact that Monfils will face an opponent half his age – after 19-year-old American qualifier Nishesh Basavareddy also progressed – only magnifies the scale of what he is doing here.
You sense Monfils must be proud of the accomplishment but isn’t interested in looking back.
“I will reflect later, because when you’re in the moment you don’t really think about it, to be honest,” said Monfils. “You’re always searching to play better every day. It’s tough to tell you like, ‘Yeah, it’s a great achievement’. It is a great achievement but later on when I will be done with tennis it would be, ‘Oh yeah, that was a really cool’.”
But it is remarkable. In a sport that gets quicker and more physically demanding every year – as players get stronger, fitter and more powerful – Monfils has found a way to keep up. Though he makes it look easy at times, it hasn’t been.
“You know, when you’re 22 and now 38, it’s completely different,” laughed Monfils.
He has altered his game style and strategy over the years, forced to become more assertive, rather than rely on his trademark counter-punching.
“The game has changed, the youngsters, they’re really aggressive,” said Monfils. “So you need to step up as well. I like to be in my zone in defence but, of course, I need to step in, shorten the point. I have less speed, so it forced me also to be a little bit closer to the baseline.”
Gael Monfils is just the seventh player to feature in an ATP tour semifinal as a 38-year-old. Photo / Photosport
The former world No 6 is also constantly tweaking his training routines.
“We need to switch some days,” said Monfils. “[Sometimes] I go for practice and it is [meant] to be a long session and I feel like I can only give one hour. So we do one hour. Some days I feel like I can play like I’m 18, I can play three or four hours. It’s a lot of adaptation.
“[My team] know me well. They know when they can push me and then also when they have to stop me because sometimes it’s more the opposite when you’re old, you want to do too much because you always want to comfort yourself that you can still do it.”
Monfils can’t play forever – even though plenty would want him to – but these moments should be cherished. He is a unique player, still capable of magic and a high level.
That has been shown this week. After a “dirty win” in the first round – where he retrieved a 6-1, 5-2 deficit to win in three sets – Monfils has been much more convincing, serving imperiously and out-thinking and out-rallying his opponents.
On Thursday, Monfils gradually wore down his opponent, world No 78 Facundo Diaz Acosta, until he had nothing left. The Argentine, who had looked so comfortable on these courts, had no answer to the accuracy, control and variation. He tried everything – including some cute drop shots – but Monfils usually had an answer, at one point sprinting diagonally from well behind the baseline to put away a short ball.
Monfils dropped only five points when his first serve landed, while also dominating with his return. He was rarely under too much pressure – but showed poise to defend three break opportunities, while converting four of his own, and also conjured some brilliant shots in the second set.
The world No 52 struggled with the heat – conducting his post-match television interview seated in his chair – during an afternoon when the on-court temperature exceeded 30C but the outcome was never in doubt.
“Compared to the first [round], it’s black and white, that’s for sure,” said Monfils. “I was playing okay last week and felt good during my preparation. I was very fortunate in the first round and then striking better and again better [on Thursday]. Hopefully I keep going like that.”
Friday will be a bigger test. Basavareddy, who was playing college tennis this time last year and only turned professional a month ago, gave another demonstration of his talent and maturity on Thursday, coming from a set down to eliminate eighth seed Alex Michelsen 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in 102 minutes, to qualify for his first ATP semifinal, in just his second tournament at this level.
It’s a master and apprentice scenario as Monfils has played in 72 ATP semifinals, only behind Djokovic among active players, and there was a preview in Brisbane last week, as the European edged Basavareddy 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
“It was really tough,” said Monfils. “I was fortunate to win in three sets because he had me, he had the momentum at the beginning and then somehow he made one or two mistakes and I could shift the momentum. It is going to be a really tough match from the baseline, he is returning really good. So, I’m going to talk with my coach and see what we’re going to come up with.”
On Thursday, Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs continued his impressive run, beating Spanish world No 59 Roberto Carballes Baena 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 to make his first ATP semifinal.
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics’, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
