Auger-Aliassime outlasts Monfils in intense Indian Wells farewell
Felix Auger-Aliassime edged out Gael Monfils 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 on Friday night and will play the winner of the match between Russian Andrey Rublev, the No 17 seed, and Canadian Gabriel Diallo in the next round
Gaël Monfils 2026 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Felix Auger-Aliassime secured his place in the round of 32 at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday night, overcoming a vintage performance from Gael Monfils to win 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4. The ninth-seeded Canadian demonstrated impressive poise to survive a high-energy start from the Frenchman, eventually taking control in a physical two-hour and twenty-minute battle.
The victory sets up a challenging third-round encounter for Auger-Aliassime, who will face the winner of the match between the 17th seed Andrey Rublev and fellow Canadian Gabriel Diallo. This win marks the second time in just two months that the 25-year-old has had to play the role of spoiler against a legendary opponent in their final season, having recently defeated the retiring Adrian Mannarino in the Montpellier final.
Monfils Hailed by Standing Ovation in Final Desert Appearance
The statistical heart of the match was the incredible precision Monfils maintained during the opening set. The 39-year-old veteran committed a mere four unforced errors in the first set, a stunning display of discipline that allowed him to edge the tiebreak 7-5. To counter this, Auger-Aliassime was forced to increase his own aggression in the final two sets, aiming for greater pace and deeper accelerations to push Monfils behind the baseline.
The opening set saw a one-break-each trade before Monfils’ legendary defensive coverage proved the difference in the tiebreak. However, the physical toll of his farewell tour, and the 21 years since his Indian Wells debut, began to show as the match entered its second hour. Auger-Aliassime broke early in the second set and remained clinical on his own delivery, winning 84% of his first-serve points to level the match.
In the decider, the Canadian’s youth and superior recovery allowed him to maintain a high tempo that Monfils could no longer match. Despite several trademark “showman” winners that brought the Stadium 3 crowd to their feet, Monfils was broken at 4-4. Following the final point, the Frenchman chose a quiet, dignified exit over a formal speech; he simply hailed the crowd and waved to every corner of the arena as he received a thunderous standing ovation, marking the end of his 17th and final campaign in the California desert.
