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.



Mbappé Scores First Hat Trick for Real Madrid as Atletico Draws

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the 3-0 lead during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Valladolid and Real Madrid at Jose Zorrilla Stadium, in Valladolid, Spain, 25 January 2025. EPA/R. Garcia
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the 3-0 lead during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Valladolid and Real Madrid at Jose Zorrilla Stadium, in Valladolid, Spain, 25 January 2025. EPA/R. Garcia
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Mbappé Scores First Hat Trick for Real Madrid as Atletico Draws

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the 3-0 lead during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Valladolid and Real Madrid at Jose Zorrilla Stadium, in Valladolid, Spain, 25 January 2025. EPA/R. Garcia
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the 3-0 lead during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Valladolid and Real Madrid at Jose Zorrilla Stadium, in Valladolid, Spain, 25 January 2025. EPA/R. Garcia

Kylian Mbappé tucked the ball under his shirt as he raised both hands to return the applause to the Real Madrid fans who savored his first hat trick for his new club.
The France star had just led a 3-0 victory at struggling Valladolid that extended Madrid’s lead of La Liga on Saturday, keeping it in position to retain the title just after the midway point of the campaign.
Gone was the inconsistent play and missed penalties from Mbappé during his first months with Madrid following his move from Paris Saint-Germain. The France captain has started pouring in goals with back-to-back multi-goal games and has Madrid in pole position with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona stalled.
“I'm very happy for the hat trick but even happier for the win,” Mbappé said in fluent Spanish. “It was very important to win after Atletico’s result because that gave us a bit more pressure to take advantage of it.”
Madrid’s fourth straight triumph in the league combined with Atletico Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Villarreal let Carlo Ancelotti’s side open a four-point gap over its city rival. Barcelona was in third place at 10 points back before hosting Valencia on Sunday.
Madrid trailed then-leader Barcelona at one point, but since getting blown away in a 4-0 clasico debacle, it has found its stride and is in championship mode.
“My adaptation to the team is over. I feel comfortable on the field and you can see that from the way I am playing with my teammates,” Mbappé said. “This gives us confidence, but you know that until the 38th round this is not over. We have to keep winning because there is a long way to go.”
The game between the front-runner and the bottom side fit its billing as a mismatch.
Valladolid could draw only one save from Thibaut Courtois in the opening moments. It was all Madrid the rest of the way even though Vinícius Júnior didn’t play as he completed a two-game suspension.
Mbappé swept in Madrid’s first goal on the half-hour mark after a flowing team attack of quick passes to weave the ball through a packed Valladolid area that culminated in Jude Bellingham’s assist for the France star.
He made it a double in the 57th by finishing off a three-against-two counterattack after Federico Valverde intercepted a Valladolid pass. Mbappé took a pass by Rodrygo and rifled in a low strike from the left side of the box.
Valladolid finished with 10 men after Mario Martín got a second booking in the 90th for a foul on Bellingham, sending Mbappé to the spot for his third.
That made it four games in a row with a goal across all competitions for Mbappé. In La Liga, Mbappé has 15, second only to Robert Lewandowski’s 16 for Barcelona. He also scored twice last weekend against Las Palmas in a 4-1 win.
“Mbappé is giving us a lot. He has found his rhythm over the last couple of months and that is obviously a boost for us,” Ancelotti said.
Valladolid was five points from safety.
Atletico's stalemate with Villarreal came a week after a shock 1-0 loss at Leganes.
Gerard Moreno, Villarreal’s top scorer in club history, made it 120 goals for the Yellow Submarine in the 25th minute after the striker converted a penalty he earned when fouled by Reinildo.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone rested Antoine Griezmann and midfielder Rodrigo de Paul for the first half. Then he made three changes at halftime, sending on De Paul and winger Samu Lino to kickstart his sluggish attack.
The moves paid off as the hosts pressed Villarreal into its box, and Lino rammed in a 58th-minute equalizer.
Simeone sent Griezmann on immediately after and the action stayed in Villarreal’s area except for two chances for Villarreal’s Ayoze Pérez, who replaced Gerard. But Griezmann’s header that bounced just wide in the 86th was the closest Atletico came to snatching a winner.
“We played a good game at a very tough ground against a team with a deep bench that is fighting for the league. We are happy,” Gerard said for a Villarreal that stayed in fifth place.
Cedric Bakambu headed in a stoppage-time winner to grab Real Betis a 1-0 victory at 10-man Mallorca.
Mallorca had opportunities until Omar Mascarell received a direct red card for a studs-first tackle of Betis’ Jesús Rodríguez in the 73rd.
The win came while Betis secured a loan deal for forward Anthony from Manchester United.
García sustains Espanyol Goalkeeper Joan García made three saves to deny Sevilla standout Dodi Lukebakio and help Espanyol grind out a 1-1 draw at Sevilla.