Although not retired, Gaël Monfils is no longer at the peak of his powers at the age of 38. The French star has wowed audiences for more than twenty years and is
often overlooked in a highly competitive era in men’s tennis.
Gaël Monfils was a well-known superstar at junior level before making his professional debut in 2004. Monfils was the number one ranked junior tennis player in the world and had won the first three out of four grand slam events that year. At the Open de Moselle in 2004, Monfils made his ATP debut where he defeated Xavier Malisse in the first round to win his first ever professional tennis match at the age of seventeen. Monfils managed to reach the quarter-finals of this tournament which began to spark conversation surrounding the potential of the French athlete in the years to come.
The following year Monfils achieved his first ATP title in Sopot as he defeated Germany’s Florian Mayer in the final. He would also go on to make another ATP final in Metz and Lyon but was unfortunately not triumphant losing to Croatian Ivan Ljubčič and United States Andy Roddick. Monfils’ success in 2005 led him to receive the ATP ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award along with him being ranked in the top 30 tennis players in the world at the end of the year.
Monfils would begin to take monumental strides as in 2006 for the first time in his career he would be French world number one. The French star continued to climb the world rankings as he consistently reached the latter stages of ATP tournaments, but at this point, he had yet to find success in Grand Slam competitions. This would all change in 2008 at the French Open where Monfils reached the semi-finals to face Switzerland’s and number one seed Roger Federer. Monfils was beaten in four sets, but the future was looking bright for the young star.
For many years Monfils would face battles with injuries but would still see success in the ATP tournament circuit. However, the French sensation's most successful season was in 2016, where he advanced to the later rounds of several major competitions. Monfils started 2016 as the twenty-third seed and at the Australian Open made it to the quarter-finals where he lost in four sets to Canadian Milos Raonic. Due to a viral infection, Monfils did miss the French Open that year and trying to return from his sickness was knocked out in the first round of Wimbledon.
Nevertheless, later that year Monfils was victorious in the final of the ATP World Tour 500 Series in Washington defeating Croatian Ivo Karlović. He would then carry this form into the 2016 Rio Olympics where he qualified for the quarter-finals falling to the eventual bronze medalist Kei Nikoshori of Japan. In the final Grand Slam of the year, Monfils would reach the semi-finals of the US Open to face the world number one Serbian Novak Djokovic. Monfils made the semi-finals at the US Open without dropping a single set but would fail to beat Djokovic losing in four sets to the runner up that year. This outstanding year of tennis from Monfils would see him finish the year ranked number six in the world, which is the highest he has positioned in his career.
Now in saying all of this, many of you may be thinking what made Monfils so special? It is due to the fact that he is one of the most unconventional tennis players we have ever seen. Monfils is a showman, he attempts audacious shots to keep the crowd and himself entertained. He has a great ability to cover ground, earning him the nickname ‘Sliderman’ for his unique sliding technique on the court. Standing at 6’4, possessing a powerful forehand and being an athletic freak allowed Monfils to play the way he does.
Despite that, Monfils is often critiqued by many tennis experts and fans for his style of play. This is for his poor shot selection coupled with his inability to dictate a game with many believing someone of his talent should be able to do. He is also criticised for showboating excessively which is why many deem him to be an underachiever in the sport.
Whether or not you believe he fell short of expectations because of his skill set, it is undeniable that Monfils has given us tennis fans countless moments of brilliance for over two decades. Although Monfils has not managed to win a grand slam, he has over 500 career wins and has collected an impressive twelve ATP titles. The flair, confidence and persona he displays on the court and beyond is why Gaël Monfils is one we shall never forget.
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