MELBOURNE (Reuters) – French flair topped American firepower as Gael Monfils turned back the clock to dump fourth seed Taylor Fritz out of the Australian Open on Saturday and book a place in the last 16.
At 38, Monfils is enjoying a late-career flourish and Fritz felt the full brunt of it as the Frenchman rallied from a set down to claim a thrilling 3-6 7-5 7-6(1) 6-4 win in the afternoon sunshine at Margaret Court Arena.
Soaking up punishment from Fritz with a stonewall defence, Monfils dismantled the American with tennis IQ and danced a jig after sealing the win with an ace down the ‘T’.
Monfils will play the winner of American Ben Shelton and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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