Jack Draper held off home favourite Gael Monfils in a four-set thriller to reach the third round of the French Open.
The British men’s No 1 beat the ever-popular French showman 6-3 4-6 6-3 7-5 to set up a fascinating match-up with Brazilian rising star Joao Fonseca after his victory over Pierre-Hugues Herbert earlier in the day.
Draper weathered the storm of a fired-up French crowd and some customary moments of Monfils magic to show tremendous poise in quashing the prospect of a five-set marathon.
Monfils squandered the opportunity to send it to a decider when he was unable to serve out from 5-3 before also seeing two set points pass him by at 5-4.
“I have to acknowledge Gael, yes this is my first time on this court and what a battle, what an experience against somebody I admire as a tennis player, but also a guy who off the court is incredibly nice, such a joker, a magician,” said Draper on TNT Sports.
“He does everything, honestly huge respect to him and I hope he is able to play here one more time again in the future.”
Draper had looked in command on his way to a comfortable opening set before a spirited Monfils absorbed the energy of an increasingly-loud French crowd on his way to taking the second.
Draper was still playing far from his cleanest tennis in the third but would clinch it with a drop volley to restore his advantage in the match.
His errors drew him back into trouble in the fourth as Monfils threatened to take him the distance, the 38-year-old benefiting from a theatrical, almost slow-motion, double-bounce off the net on his way to a 5-3 lead.
Draper embraces Monfils after the match
But the veteran had long been tiring, and Draper’s energy would pull him through as he sensed his opponent slowing while reeling off four consecutive games on his final march to victory.
“My brain was fried out there,” added Draper. “I’m not sure if I am going to go to sleep because my brain is just all over the place with what he was doing out here.
“There were times where I was very frustrated but I reminded myself that this is why I put in the hard work to play on courts like this. It is something I enjoyed while I was playing – even though it didn’t look like it.”
It marks the first time since 1968 that three British men are through to the third round at Roland-Garros, with Draper joined by Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley.
Monfils tired towards the end of the match
Norrie had earlier beaten Argentine qualifier Federico Gomez 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 6-1, while Fearnley had been leading 6-3 4-4 when opponent Ugo Humbert retired injured in their second-round clash. The two will now go head to head in an all-British third-round tie.
British women’s No 1 Katie Boulter meanwhile suffered a 6-1 6-3 defeat to Australian Open champion Madison Keys after a performance marred by nine double faults.
“If you don’t have a great serving day against someone like that, you’re always under pressure,” said Boulter.
“I think almost every service game I hit a double-fault. Against someone of that calibre, you just can’t afford to do that.”
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