Roland-Garros: Draper outlasts Monfils in yet another late-night thriller
The pair produced one of the matches of the tournament so far with the Brit winning in four
© Julien Nouet / Tennis Majors
No 5 seed Jack Draper edged out Gael Monfils 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a late-night thriller on Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland-Garros in Paris on Thursday evening.
Having comeback from two-sets-to-love down in his opening match, French veteran Monfils very nearly delivered another five-setter for his home fans, serving for the fourth at 5-3 and holding multiple set points at 5-4.
It was a clash that had everything, ebbing and flowing as Monfils expertly conducted the crowd and fought his way back into the match time and time again.
However, it was the 23-year-old Draper who had more gas in the tank when the contest crossed the three hour match, with the Brit winning four straight games to close out the match and book his place in the third round.
In doing so, Draper ensures that three British men will contest the third round of Roland-Garros for the first time since 1968.
“First off, I think I have to acknowledge Gael,” a weary Draper declared after the match. “What a battle, what an experience against someone I admire. Huge respect to him, I hope he’s able to play here one more time in the future.
“Playing Gael against you guys – no offence taken – this is why I play tennis. This is why I play tennis, to play in front of big crowds, whether they are with me or against me.”
Another blockbuster awaits Draper in the third round, with teen sensation Joao Fonseca waiting on Saturday.
Jack Draper defeated Italian Mattia Bellucci (3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2) ahead of his victory.
In the previous round of the Roland-Garros 2025, Monfils, ranked No 42, recovered to beat Hugo Dellien (4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-1).
Paris (Grand Slam), other second-round results (Roland-Garros, clay, EUR 56.352.000, most recent results first):
- Jacob Fearnley beat Ugo Humbert (22): 6-3, 4-4 ret.
- Filip Misolic (Q) beat Denis Shapovalov (27): 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6), 4-6, 4-6, 6-3
- Novak Djokovic (6) beat Corentin Moutet: 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (1)
- Ethan Quinn (Q) beat Alexander Shevchenko (LL): 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3), 7-5
- Cameron Norrie beat Federico Agustin Gomez (LL): 7-6 (7), 6-2, 6-1
- Joao Fonseca beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert (WC): 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4
- Flavio Cobolli beat Matteo Arnaldi: 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-1
- Andrey Rublev (17) beat Adam Walton: 7-6 (1), 6-1, 7-6 (5)
- Jannik Sinner (1) beat Richard Gasquet (WC): 6-3, 6-0, 6-4
- Tallon Griekspoor beat Gabriel Diallo: 7-5, 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-3
- Alexander Zverev (3) beat Jesper De Jong: 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
- Henrique Rocha (Q) beat Jakub Mensik (19): 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3
- Alexander Bublik beat Alex De Minaur (9): 2-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2
- Arthur Fils (14) beat Jaume Munar: 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4), 2-6, 0-6, 6-4
- Jiri Lehecka beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (26): 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
- Holger Rune (10) beat Emilio Nava (WC): 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3
- Frances Tiafoe (15) beat Pablo Carreno Busta: 6-4, 6-3, 6-1
- Ben Shelton vs. Hugo Gaston
- Sebastian Korda (23) beat Jenson Brooksby: 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (2)
- Matteo Gigante (Q) beat Stefanos Tsitsipas (20): 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
- Tommy Paul (12) beat Marton Fucsovics: 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4
- Damir Dzumhur beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (31): 7-6 (4), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
- Carlos Alcaraz (2) beat Fabian Marozsan: 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
- Karen Khachanov (24) beat Sebastian Ofner: 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2
- Nuno Borges beat Casper Ruud (7): 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-0
- Quentin Halys beat Miomir Kecmanovic: 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-5
- Mariano Navone beat Reilly Opelka: 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-3
- Alexei Popyrin (25) beat Alejandro Tabilo: 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
- Daniel Altmaier beat Vit Kopriva: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
- Hamad Medjedovic beat Juan Manuel Cerundolo (Q): 6-3, 6-4, 7-5
- Lorenzo Musetti (8) beat Daniel Elahi Galan (LL): 6-4, 6-0, 6-4
