Jack Draper survived the Gael-force winds of the Philippe Chatrier night session to move into the third round of the French Open.
On paper, a matchup with a 38-year-old world No42 ought to have been straightforward. But there is an alchemy between Gael Monfils and Chatrier under the lights which never fails to produce gold.
The 23-year-old Draper needed all his resolve, determination and skill to win 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. In the death throes of the fourth set, Monfils’ body finally let him down, allowing Draper to avoid a perilous fifth set.
‘What a battle against someone I admire,’ said the No5 seed. ‘He is a joker, he is a magician, he does everything.
‘This is why I play tennis, to play in front of big crowds in matches like this. My brain was fried out here. I’m not sure if I am going to go to sleep tonight because my brain is just all over the place with what he was doing. That’s why he is loved by all the fans. The players love to watch him as well but not to play against him!’
Earlier victories for Cam Norrie and Jacob Fearnley meant Britain had three men in the third round of the French Open for the first time in the Open Era.
Jack Draper produced a superb display to overcome Gael Monfils in the French Open
Draper won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 as he managed to make it through to the third round
Monfils, 38, gave his all but the Frenchman ultimately ended up being defeated by Draper
Norrie and Fearnley play each other, guaranteeing a first Brit in the second week since Andy Murray in 2017.
Draper faces a mouth-watering clash with 18-year-old Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca.
One potential obstacle was removed from Draper’s path as his prospective fourth-round opponent Alex de Minaur collapsed from two sets up against Kazak maverick Alexander Bublik.
But we are getting ahead of ourselves; back to Monfils. It was the second night session in a row for the 38-year-old. In the first, against Hugo Dellian of Bolivia, he took a heavy fall after five points of the match and went on to lose the first two sets. From there he – and the crowd – summoned a comeback which had the stadium shaking.
To back that up two days later would have been some effort, against a man ranked fifth in the world and 15 years his junior.
But back it up he did, for three hours and 11 minutes of absorbing tennis. Only in the death throws of the fourth set did his body let him down, allowing Draper to avoid a perilous fifth set.
There is an alchemy between Monfils and Chatrier under the lights which never fails to produce gold. ‘I love night sessions,’ he said after the Dellian win. ‘It’s fabulous, just extraordinary.’
This was not an easy environment for Draper, making his Chatrier debut with most of its 15,000 fans against him.
Draper now faces a mouth-watering clash with 18-year-old Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca
Monfils was brilliant in the second set but it was Draper who managed to make it through
In the early exchanges it seemed he might silence them but when Monfils broke in the second set, things began to get lively – uncomfortably so for Draper.
Here was a turning point: Draper did not do enough with a simple forehand volley, and the old man with the legs of a teenager sprinted over and whipped a winner down the line. Out came the Monfils swagger, the arms stretched wide, the head nodding, the toothy smile of joy in the heat of battle.
This court has seen many better players than Monfils in its time but never a greater showman.
He was brilliant in the second set, and his movement for a man pushing 40 is utterly absurd. It was put into perspective having just watched Richard Gasquet, who is the same age, potter about the court in his last ever match before retirement.
As the crowd’s intensity rose this became a serious test for Draper and it got to him at times.
But one of Draper’s greatest strengths is not to panic when he feels the tug of tension, anxiety or pressure. He acknowledges his feeling, takes a few deep breathes and moves past it.
The fans were doing their best to get on top of him. Mystifyingly, they booed him for playing a drop shot – it is bad form, perhaps, for Les Rosbifs to be this good on clay.
The key for Draper was to maintain aggression. Monfils will happily rally all day, running down ball after ball, and in the past Draper would have been dragged into that kind of match.
Draper should have got the fourth set done more comfortably but eventually prevailed
But he smacked 59 winners, compared to 33 unforced errors. Throw in a 43-29 ratio in his first-round win and those are seriously impressive numbers.
Draper should have got the fourth set done more comfortably. After missing a slew of break points he played a sloppy game, ending with a double fault, to go 4-2 down.
The crowd were pulsing to Monfils’ heartbeat now as he looked to force yet another five setter. When Monfils hit a backhand which clipped the net, bounced up, hit the net again, then plopped over for a winner, it was as if the very forces of physics were bending to his will. Draper slumped, hands on knees, after that one – the first visible sign of the toll this was taking on him.
Monfils went 5-2 but pulled up in the next game, tweaking a muscle in his leg. His movement and, especially, ability to push up for his serve were severely compromised and Draper broke – the first of 11 break points he had converted in the set.
Draper fell 15-40 down at 4-5, but four potent first serves saved two set points and levelled the scores. Monfils battled hard and there was always tension, but he never won another game after the physical discomfort set in.
It was a shame for it to end this way, but there was a warm and extended embrace between the pair at the net.