In 2004, the 4 boys’ Grand Slam titles had been cut up between two 17-year-olds.
Three went to the one thought of probably the most gifted, the ultimate one to in all probability the subsequent finest participant — who, even then, was not ready to just accept being second-best.
The primary went on to have an excellent profession: a daily on the earth’s high 20, peaking at No 6, with two Grand Slam semi-finals. The second participant, the inferior junior, had an impressive profession: three main titles, two Olympic golds, a Davis Cup win, the world No 1 rating. He did it by maximising each final drop of his expertise, whereas the opposite participant was seen as not fairly realising his potential.
Twenty years on from these junior triumphs, each are nearing the tip of their careers. The extra profitable participant is eight months youthful however nearer to retirement — seven years battling damage have pushed his physique to its absolute outer limits.
The opposite participant is having fun with a late renaissance, having battled accidents of his personal for a few years, however now ranked 37 at age 37, the oldest participant contained in the world’s high 50. Cherished for his showmanship and shotmaking capacity, he’s additionally one of many greatest attracts for crowds wherever he goes — particularly at Roland Garros, in his residence metropolis of Paris.
For a number of hours on Monday evening, Gael Monfils once more delighted Court docket Philippe-Chatrier within the prime evening session slot. It wasn’t simply that he beat Brazilian 24-year-old Thiago Seyboth Wild in 4 units, it was additionally the best way he did it, a cavalcade of working forehand passing pictures, leaping backhand volleys, and interactions with the gang.
Twenty-four hours earlier, his erstwhile junior rival — Andy Murray — entered the identical court docket to face Stan Wawrinka. Murray, again from his newest battle with damage, competed gamely for a few units however succumbed 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. It’s anticipated to be his final French Open.
Monfils taking part in towards Murray in the course of the first spherical of Roland Garros in 2006 (Eric Feferberg/AFP through Getty Photos)
For a very long time, Murray could possibly be used as a persist with beat Monfils with; the modern who confirmed what could possibly be executed with additional utility. Over time, although, that comparability has change into facile. The concept that Monfils doesn’t correctly apply himself is fatuous — he’s bought 12 titles of his personal — and their divergent careers stand on their very own phrases.
Murray, outlined by dedication ranges that will make most mere mortals wince, managed to infiltrate the highest of males’s tennis at its modern peak and keep there. Monfils, with out the promised main titles, remains to be one of the widespread gamers on the tour, packing out stadiums the world over. No surprise, when he does issues like this…
HE SWITCHED HANDS WITH THE VOLLEY 😱@Gael_Monfils goes left-handed!#RolexMonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/PWRFcPK3Oh
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 10, 2024
Monfils definitely has no regrets.
“Unattainable,” he mentioned to The Athletic in a dialog on the eve of the match.
“So many individuals overlook the place I’m from, who I’m. Nobody is aware of me. Who I’m now, I couldn’t even predict this for a second. I’m one of many luckiest individuals to have made it. This profession, I by no means anticipated it. My mum’s a nurse — working evening shifts to attempt to assist me play tennis. My dad labored in telecoms again then as a result of he was a soccer participant however needed to cease fairly early.
“Residing in not one of the best space of Paris, I had this dream. And now right here I’m, speaking to you. You recognize my title. It’s not possible. I made it.”
Again when Monfils was the all-conquering junior, Murray was requested at Wimbledon in 2004 whether or not the Frenchman was the boys’ equal of Roger Federer.
“No, I don’t assume so,” a 17-year-old Murray mentioned, with a soon-to-become customary contrarianism.
“He’s executed rather well, profitable in Australia and the French. However final week, I had a good match with him, and he struggled via his match right this moment. I beat him final 12 months on the French Open 6-4, 6-1. So he’s beatable.”
Monfils received that 12 months’s junior Wimbledon, however Murray bought on the board by profitable the U.S. Open. Monfils’ hopes of turning into solely the second participant — after Stefan Edberg in 1983 — to finish a calendar boys’ Grand Slam ended within the third spherical at Flushing Meadows.
Monfils after profitable junior Wimbledon towards Britain’s Miles Kasiri (Phil Cole/Getty Photos)
This may all really feel like historical historical past now, however the pair go even additional again. “It’s loopy as a result of I performed Andy the primary time after I was 11 and he was 10,” Monfils recollects.
Monfils made the leap into the professional circuit earlier than Murray and reached the second spherical of the 2005 Australian Open. Each he and Murray made the third spherical of that 12 months’s Wimbledon, and Monfils was named the ATP newcomer of the 12 months on the finish of the season.
The pair’s paths crossed once more the next 12 months, once they met within the first spherical of the French Open. Monfils received in 5 units, avenging a win for Murray of their first assembly on the professional tour, in Hamburg.
Surprisingly, the pair have solely met six instances on the principle tour, Murray main the head-to-head 4-2. Their most up-to-date assembly at that degree was a decade in the past, as near their dominant junior days as now. The match, a French Open quarter-final, could possibly be seen because the early a part of their careers in microcosm, with Murray toughing it out to win in 5 units.
Earlier than that match, Murray mentioned: “He’s a fantastic athlete — perhaps one of the best we’ve got had in tennis. Of the Grand Slams, he’s performed his finest tennis right here by far. He loves taking part in in entrance of an enormous crowd. Gael has all the time been a fantastic entertainer and he’s nice for the game.”
Murray was, by this level, a two-time Grand Slam champion, and Monfils hadn’t been to the semis of a significant for the reason that French Open in 2008. Monfils did attain one other semi-final, on the U.S. Open in 2016, however Novak Djokovic beat him in a weird match outlined by the Serb ripping his shirt open, a topsy-turvy scoreline, and warmth and humidity so intense that it appeared to addle each gamers.
That’s nonetheless the furthest Monfils has gone at a Grand Slam, however within the eight years since, he has reached two main quarter-finals (one on the 2022 Australian Open, aged 35) and has received six extra titles to double his profession whole. None has come at Masters (1000) degree.
Murray has 14 of these, on high of all his different important successes.
Monfils and Murray after that Roland Garros quarter-final (Kenzo Triboillaurd/AFP through Getty Photos)
“Everyone’s totally different,” Monfils says of his one-time junior rival. “We have now a distinct objective. I’m an enormous fan of Andy. His achievements, his profession, the man he’s. He’s a very respectful man and a cool dude. A legend of the game.
“I by no means choose anybody else, everybody thinks in another way. I attempt to study from him and what he’s executed is loopy good. I’m attempting by myself to not make related selections, however to do selections which might be finest for me.”
Monfils additionally rejects the notion that his expertise meant he didn’t work laborious or may have utilized himself extra. “(Folks say) ‘Ah, Monfils shouldn’t be disciplined’,” he advised the Guardian this month. “Guys, don’t assume this as a result of I’m having fun with myself on the court docket. The work I do outdoors is massive.”
Watching Monfils in entrance of his residence crowd stays considered one of tennis’s most pleasurable experiences. There’s a symbiosis in how they feed off the opposite’s vitality.
On Monday evening, it didn’t take lengthy for the Chatrier court docket to begin to crackle. The brass band was already in full swing when, within the seventh sport, Monfils in some way chased down a volley and flicked away a forehand passing shot winner. He requested the gang to make some extra noise — they duly obliged. It was a spectacular ending to a rally that showcased Monfils’ supreme defensive and shot-making abilities. The best way he was shifting, it felt laborious to consider that he had been pressured to tug out of Geneva with sickness final week and had been on antibiotics.
At the beginning of the second set, a drop volley on the best way to an early break had his predominant cheerleaders singing: “Allez allez Gael” to the tune of ‘Everyone Dance Now’.
However he ended up shedding that set in a tame flurry of errors, being damaged to like in an illustration of the fallibility of focus that has in all probability prevented him from reaching the very high of the sport.
Even throughout that set, there was a leaping backhand volley and a superbly disguised drop shot; each had the gang on their ft.
“I really like you, Gael!” roared one supporter. “Me too!” known as out one other.
A superb backhand go helped Monfils break again within the third set having fallen behind, and a Mexican wave quickly adopted. Monfils received the third set, and took the fourth too — sealing it in a satisfyingly on-brand method: ace, ace, botched smash, ace, winner. The ultimate shot was a usually swish flying smash — a model of the ‘slam dunk’ Pete Sampras used to do.
Monfils roared in delight, carried out a brief dance, thumped his chest and carried out his trademark Black Panther celebration to all 4 sides of the court docket. The victory made him the French males’s participant with probably the most Grand Slam match wins, 122, forward of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
🙅♂️#RolandGarros @Gael_Monfils pic.twitter.com/nV39WQieSm
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 27, 2024