Gael Monfils has joined Roger Federer as the only men to reach the Australian Open’s fourth round at age 38 or older since the tournament field expanded to 128 players in 1988

Gael Monfils has often been blamed for not taking full advantage of his talent during his career. Indeed, the French veteran could have achieved more prestigious results although he played in the same era as legends such as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

French veteran Gaël Monfils rolled back the years to stun the USA’s No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz in the third round of the Australian Open on Saturday, winning 3-6 7-5 7-6(1) 6-4 after three hours and eight minutes of scintillating tennis.

Monfils was struggling with a back injury at the start of the fourth set as Ben Shelton advanced to the quarter-finals

Gael Monfils, at 38, joins Roger Federer as the only older players to reach the Australian Open's fourth round in the expanded era. Monfils overcame Taylor Fritz with a stunning performance, showcasing his resilience and skill.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Gael Monfils joined Roger Federer as the only men to reach the Australian Open’s fourth round at age 38 or older since the tournament field expanded to 128 players ...

MELBOURNE, Australia — Gael Monfils joined Roger Federer as the only men to reach the Australian Open's fourth round at age 38 or older since the tournament field expanded to 128 players in 1988 ...

After his historic win, Monfils returned to Margaret Court Arena and sat in the stands to watch his wife, Svitolina, eliminate the women's No. 4 seed, two-time major finalist Jasmine Paolini 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 at night.

Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, tennis's power couple, each secured upset wins over fourth-seeded opponents at the Australian Open.

Madison Keys pulled off a stunning victory, while Jannik Sinner charged to a convincing title defense. Plus, Paula Badosa and Ben Shelton impressed Down Under.

Now that the dust has settled and the trophies lifted, let’s put a bow on this baby with 25 thoughts. 1 – Madison Keys is the story of this tournament. No ands, ifs or butts about it. The American took us all by surprise with her ability to manage her nerves in the biggest moments against an absolutely brutal draw.

At the same time, it is worth noting that – with this retirement – Monfils has become the player with the most retirements and walkovers in Open Era together with German Tommy Haas. Both are 33, ahead of Nikolay Davydenko and Philipp Kohlschreiber in this particular ranking.