Gael Monfils celebrates 40th birthday with stunning US Open comeback win

Hook

When Gael Monfils stepped onto Louis Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, the crowd rose to its feet. Not just because he was the oldest 40-year-old to win a US Open first-round match since Jimmy Connors in 2026, but because the atmosphere carried a special flavor: his 40th birthday, and perhaps his last Grand Slam campaign. The beats no one hears – but I, who have followed him since his early days in Paris, could feel the tension in every step.

Context

Monfils, a former world No. 6, is on a farewell tour. A day earlier, fellow veteran Stan Wawrinka played his final Grand Slam match. The departure of the golden generation – those who once faced Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic – is accelerating faster than ever. This first-round match against Vallejo, a lesser-known young player, was seen as a chance for Monfils to extend his journey. But the first set saw him lose 2-6, his shots looking sluggish and imprecise. There is a fire in the locker room – but it was burning low.

Core

After the first set, Monfils adjusted. He began standing deeper to receive Vallejo's second serves, stepping inside the court earlier, and attacking with his signature crosscourt forehand. Result: 6-1, 6-2, 6-0. Over the final 21 games, he lost only three. This is not a miraculous resurgence, but a sign of a veteran who knows how to read an opponent within one set. Vallejo, a young player, suffered a mental collapse after losing the break in the third set. Monfils capitalized on those errors, closing the match with a powerful ace. The ball rolls on, the man remains – but this time, the man was Monfils, with a radiant smile.

Contrarian

This victory is not a sign that Monfils can compete with top players like Sinner or Alcaraz. It is a testament to the difference between tactics and fitness. Vallejo lost because he couldn't control the match's rhythm, not because Monfils played exceptionally well. The silent Westchester training ground – I remember Monfils' practice sessions in New York, where he often took a long time to warm up. But on the court, he knows how to leverage experience. Pundits may talk about a revival, but the reality is that Monfils is simply playing the smartest tennis possible at age 40.

Takeaway

The second round against Learner Tien – a young American with an aggressive baseline game – will be the real test. Can Monfils extend it one more time? I watch, I record, I keep – and I believe this is not yet the end. But if there is one thing we learn from Monfils, it is: one beat, one day, one season – and he knows how to make every moment memorable.