Gael Monfils strikes in entrance of Roger Federer

Gael Monfils is having fun with an exciting season at 38! The Frenchman earned his tenth victory of 2025 within the first spherical of Indian Wells, toppling Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 24 minutes. Thus, Monfils wrote historical past books and achieved a notable milestone.

At 38 years and 6 months, Gael turned the fifth-oldest winner of a Masters 1000 match, leaving Roger Federer behind! Ivo Karlovic, Jimmy Connors, Stan Wawrinka and Feliciano Lopez are nonetheless forward of the Frenchman.

Nonetheless, he can catch not less than three of them if he maintains this degree. Is that doable? Simply, particularly after Monfil’s motivation to increase his profession and compete for just a few extra years.

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 7, 2025

The veteran maintained his excellent rating in opposition to Struff, beating him for the fourth time in as many duels. Gael claimed ten factors extra and made the distinction behind the second serve. Each gamers served underneath 60% and dominated after touchdown within the first serve.

The 38-year-old defended the second extra effectively and denied 5 or 6 break factors. Struff performed in opposition to seven break factors and suffered three breaks for an early exit. Monfils landed 22 winners and 18 unforced errors.

Gael Monfils, Indian Wells 2025© Stream screenshot

Jan-Lennard hit 20 winners and 31 errors, spraying too many unfastened pictures from his forehand. Nothing separated them within the mid-range and most superior exchanges, and Gael secured the win within the quickest ones as much as 4 strokes.

The German performed a wayward backhand within the third recreation of the duel and skilled an early break. The Frenchman painted a backhand down the road winner at 2-1 and cemented his benefit. Struff saved a break level within the seventh recreation with a strong serve.

He made a push on the return within the subsequent one and landed a forehand crosscourt winner on the third break likelihood to erase the deficit and lock the consequence at 4-4. As a substitute of constructing on that, Jan-Lennard sprayed a forehand error in recreation 9 to lose serve and fall 5-4 behind.

The German created two break factors within the tenth recreation and wasted them with expensive errors. Gael seized the primary set level with a service winner for 6-4 in 45 minutes. Struff saved a break level within the first recreation of the seconds set. Nonetheless, he struggled on serve at 1-1.

Monfils transformed the third break likelihood with a forehand assault, shifting a set and a break in entrance. Gael served nicely in video games 4, six and eight, shifting 5-3 in entrance and nearer to the end line after a backhand down the road winner at 4-3.

Jan-Lennard served to remain within the match in recreation 9 and held at like to lengthen the battle. He made one final push on the return in recreation ten and drew the rival’s mistake for a break likelihood. Gael saved it with a forehand down the road winner.

The veteran created a match level and welcomed the rival’s forehand error to seal the deal and transfer into the second spherical. Who’s Monfils’ nest rival? The twenty fourth seed Sebastian Korda.