Australian Open: Gael Monfils storms into quarter-finals for first time in 6 years – Not completed but

34-year-old Gael Monfils continued his nice begin to the brand new season by reaching the quarter-final of the Australian Open 2022. The Frenchman defeated Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 7-5 7-6(4) 6-3 to maneuver to solely hello 2nd Australian Open last-eight spherical – for the primary time since 2016.

Monfils, who received an ATP 250 title in Adelaide earlier this month, is but to drop a set on the Australian Open. He will face seventh seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy within the quarter-finals and has a possible assembly with both Denis Shapovalov or Rafael Nadal within the semi-final.With spouse and high ladies’s participant Elina Svitolina beaming within the crowd, the flamboyant Frenchman lit up the Margaret Court Arena with glowing shot-making to achieve the final eight at Melbourne Park for the primary time since 2016.”It was really tough, he played extremely fast on both sides,” stated seventeenth seed Monfils. “I tried to be very aggressive today … It was just battling, battling, hanging in there.”Monfils wrapped up the match with trademark panache, leaping excessive to thump a backhand crosscourt winner and finish Kecmanovic’s dream run because the Serb averted a first-round conflict in opposition to the deported world primary Novak Djokovic.At 35 and not too long ago married, Monfils has a brand new lease on life, and desires to go even additional within the match.”I want to do better …. We are not quite finished yet,” he stated.MONFILS LOOKS FORWARD TO BERRETTINI TESTMonfils suffered a defeat in a five-set contest in opposition to Berrettini of their final Grand Slam assembly on the 2019 U.S. open quarter-finals.”Matteo, a lot of confidence for last two years,” Monfils stated of Berrettini, who’s nicknamed “The Hammer” on the tour for his thumping forehands.”He played extremely aggressive, big serve, flashy tennis with the forehand.”Last time I performed him, I used to be just a little bit, no matter you name it, unfortunate or not. It was very tight, five-setter in quarters in a slam.”