Monfils Outduels Fellow Frenchman Mpetshi Perricard in an Australian Open 1st-Round for the Ages

France's Gael Monfils celebrates victory against compatriot Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their men's singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 14, 2025. (AFP)
France's Gael Monfils celebrates victory against compatriot Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their men's singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 14, 2025. (AFP)
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Monfils Outduels Fellow Frenchman Mpetshi Perricard in an Australian Open 1st-Round for the Ages

France's Gael Monfils celebrates victory against compatriot Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their men's singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 14, 2025. (AFP)
France's Gael Monfils celebrates victory against compatriot Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard during their men's singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 14, 2025. (AFP)

The pragmatic pro in Gael Monfils would like to have finished off his first-round win in straight sets against up-and-coming fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the Australian Open.

The entertainer's instinct in him got a lot of value out of clinching it in five.

In a duel between the 38-year-old Monfils and 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard, it was age, experience and endurance that outweighed power and youth — helping nullify one of the biggest serves in tennis.

Days after Monfils became the oldest player to win an ATP Tour title after beating Zizou Bergs the final in Auckland, New Zealand, Monfils wasted match points in the third set and on Mpetshi Perricard’s serve in the fifth before finally clinching a 7-6 (7), 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-7 (5), 6-4 victory.

When he claimed his 13th tour title at 38 years, 132 days last weekend, he took over from Roger Federer, who was 38 years, 74 days old when he won the final tour title of his career in Switzerland.

Monfils and Mpetshi Perricard entered the match at opposite ends of the career spectrum, but share a passion for their sport. Both use between-the-legs shots at times during rallies, and sometimes take the unconventional approach to setting up points.

With a career record of 34-18 as the Australian Open, where he reached the quarterfinals in 2016 and 2022, Monfils had the advantage against a player on debut at Melbourne Park.

Mpetshi Perricard had never advanced beyond the first round at any major other than Wimbledon (where he reached the fourth round as a lucky loser last year) but he was seeded 30th after a breakout year in 2024 that included two titles.

Monfils, who has won more Grand Slam singles matches than any other French man, now also has a 20-19 win-loss record in five-set matches.

After winning the trophy in Auckland, he said "I’ve been enjoying myself since the first day I played tennis and (at) 60 years old I will still have this joy."

No. 13 Holger Rune also needed five sets to beat Zhang Zhizhen 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, No. 19 Karen Khachanov advanced over Adrian Mannarino, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-3, and 2022 semifinalist Matteo Berrettini beat Cameron Norrie 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

No. 4 Taylor Fritz, runner-up at the US Open and the ATP Finals and part of the US team that won the United Cup last week, needed less than two hours for a 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 win over Jenson Brooksby in other Day 3 matches.

"Sometimes when you’re playing really good at the end of the year, that off-season almost a little bit kills the momentum," Fritz said, but "I’ve been playing pretty well since the start of the year. United Cup I played pretty good. There’s no reason for me not to be very confident."

No. 8 Emma Navarro needed 3 hours and 20 minutes and rallied from 5-3 down in the third set to beat fellow American Peyton Stearns 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-5 in the women’s first round.

By contrast, sixth-seeded Elena Rybakina overpowered 16-year-old Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-1 and No. 9 Daria Kasatkina advanced in straight sets.

A semifinalist at the US Open last year, Navarro was seeded in the top eight at a major for the first time and was completing a set of appearances on the center courts at the Grand Slams with her first appearance on Rod Laver Arena.

"One of the more unique matches I’ve played in a while, I think," Navarro said. "Definitely did not have my best stuff today. It was just relying a lot, I guess, on my grit and toughness and fight.

"She had a lot of moments there where she could have maybe closed it out or run away with it. I just tried to stay really tough."

Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, had a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2) win over No. 26-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova out on Court 3, where a scattering of British flags fluttered in a light breeze.

In her first match since November, the 22-year-old British player had 15 double-faults, made 30 unforced errors and won just 30% of points on her second serve. But she was good enough in the big moments, with 22 winners and nine aces, to claw her way into the second round.

"It was difficult. It was quite hot out there, getting quite sunny. Obviously playing against a really experienced and seeded opponent who is playing great tennis," Raducanu said. "I’m very proud of how I fought and how I overcame certain situations in that match."

She’ll next play Amanda Anisimova, who had a 6-2, 6-3 win over Maria Carle.



Man City Rising After Win over Chelsea While Liverpool Stays 6 Points Clear

Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City in action during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea, in Manchester, Britain, 25 January 2025.  EPA/TIM KEETON
Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City in action during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea, in Manchester, Britain, 25 January 2025. EPA/TIM KEETON
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Man City Rising After Win over Chelsea While Liverpool Stays 6 Points Clear

Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City in action during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea, in Manchester, Britain, 25 January 2025.  EPA/TIM KEETON
Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City in action during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea, in Manchester, Britain, 25 January 2025. EPA/TIM KEETON

Manchester City's Premier League revival gathered pace after beating Chelsea 3-1 moved Pep Guardiola's team up to fourth in the standings on Saturday.
The four-time defending champion remains 12 points behind leader Liverpool, but its unbeaten run in the league extended to six games after a stunning run of defeats at the end of last year.
Still, City had to come from behind at Etihad Stadium after a mistake from debutant Abdukodir Khusanov allowed Chelsea to go ahead inside three minutes, The Associated Press reported.
“Three points. We needed it," Guardiola said after City fought back through goals by Josko Gvardiol, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden. “Emotionally, they come back incredibly well.”
Liverpool kept up its charge towards the title by thrashing Ipswich 4-1 and staying six points clear.
Arsenal was second after winning at Wolverhampton 1-0, but third-placed Nottingham Forest was stunned by Bournemouth 5-0 on the south coast.
Fifth-placed Newcastle came back from a goal down to beat Southampton 3-1, with Alexander Isak scoring twice.
A record-extending fifth title looks beyond City but there are positive signs for Guardiola after the midseason collapse.
One win in 13 games, including nine losses from October to December, plunged City down the table in the league and the Champions League.
But victory against Chelsea lifted City back into the top four, even after a woeful start when Khusanov's weak header allowed Noni Madueke to open the scoring.
Gvardiol equalized shortly before halftime then an error from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez — his league-leading fifth error this season leading to a goal — proved decisive in the 68th when he needlessly raced off his line and allowed Erling Haaland to fire City ahead.
“He is completely aware that he has to do better,” Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said of Sanchez.
Foden completed City's comeback when bursting through late on, scoring in a fourth straight league game for the first time.
Chelsea looked capable of mounting a title challenge some weeks ago but a run of one win in seven has seen it drop to sixth.
Guardiola will have to hope another morale-boosting performance sets his team up well for the decisive Champions League game against Brugge on Wednesday, with City on the brink of elimination.
Liverpool coach Arne Slot called their latest win “almost a perfect performance” for 85 minutes.
Mohamed Salah scored his 100th league goal at Anfield and his 23rd overall this season.
Relegation-fighting Ipswich lost to Man City 6-0 last weekend and couldn’t cope with the power of the league leader either.
Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring and Salah doubled the lead in the 35th. Cody Gakpo scored in the 44th and 66th, his first league brace in nearly two years.
Jacob Greaves pulled one back late for Ipswich.
After blowing a two-goal lead against Aston Villa last week, Arsenal looked in danger of dropping more points at Wolverhampton when Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off in the first half while the game was scoreless.
Wolves couldn’t take advantage of the extra man and were reduced to 10 when Joao Gomes was red-carded in the 70th.
It took four minutes for Arsenal to capitalize, with Riccardo Calafiori hitting the winner with left-footed volley from inside the box.
“We’re not going to give up on the title race," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "We’re going to face any challenge, any situation like we have done today. Whether we win or not, that is a different question. We are going to try 100%, I guarantee we are going to be there."
Forest stunned Forest has been one of the surprise stories of the league but Bournemouth has quietly been putting together an impressive run of its own.
Still, few would have expected such a spectacular result at Vitality Stadium.
Dango Ouattara struck a second-half hat trick for Bournemouth in the 55th, 61st and 87th. Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo were also on target, and US international Tyler Adams provided two assists.
Bournemouth is unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions and plays Liverpool at home next week.
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santos, on his 51st birthday, was stunned by the result.
“We have to realize the things we did well until now, we have to do it,” he told the BBC. “When we don't do those things we are a very fragile team.”
Isak scores again Isak took his season tally to 19 goals as Newcastle bounced back from last week’s 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth.
Southampton, Newcastle went behind to Jan Bednarek’s goal in the 10th. Isak leveled from the penalty spot in the 26th and got his second four minutes later.
Sandro Tonali scored Newcastle’s third after the break.
Moyes magic David Moyes has made a quick impact at Everton after overseeing his second win in three games since returning as manager, and climbing seven points away from the relegation places.
Iliman Ndiaye’s penalty secured a 1-0 win at Brighton, which followed a victory against Tottenham last week.
Everton won only three times in the league under former manager Sean Dyche before Moyes was hired this month, returning to the club he led from 2002-13.
“I have got to say Dychey left an awful lot of good things at this football club,” Moyes said. “Resilience, being hard to beat, tough, they had all that. We are now just trying to add a little bit more.”