Gael Monfils is enjoying a thrilling season at 38! The Frenchman earned his tenth victory of 2025 in the first round of Indian Wells, toppling Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 24 minutes. Thus, Monfils wrote history books and achieved a notable milestone.
At 38 years and six months, Gael became the fifth-oldest winner of a Masters 1000 match, leaving Roger Federer behind! Ivo Karlovic, Jimmy Connors, Stan Wawrinka and Feliciano Lopez are still ahead of the Frenchman.
However, he can catch at least three of them if he maintains this level. Is that possible? Easily, especially after Monfil’s motivation to extend his career and compete for a few more years.
A Man in Form 🤝@Gael_Monfils takes out Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-4 🔥#Tennisparadise pic.twitter.com/Mob0SZjhvi
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 7, 2025
The veteran maintained his perfect score against Struff, beating him for the fourth time in as many duels. Gael claimed ten points more and made the difference behind the second serve. Both players served under 60% and dominated after landing in the first serve.
The 38-year-old defended the second more efficiently and denied five or six break points. Struff played against seven break points 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 mistakes, spraying too many loose shots from his forehand. Nothing separated them in the mid-range and most advanced exchanges, and Gael secured the win in the quickest ones up to four strokes.
The German played a wayward backhand in the third game of the duel and experienced an early break. The Frenchman painted a backhand down the line winner at 2-1 and cemented his advantage. Struff saved a break point in the seventh game with a powerful serve.
He made a push on the return in the next one and landed a forehand crosscourt winner on the third break chance to erase the deficit and lock the result at 4-4. Instead of building on that, Jan-Lennard sprayed a forehand error in game nine to lose serve and fall 5-4 behind.
Gael Monfils, Indian Wells 2025© Stream screenshot
The German created two break points in the tenth game and wasted them with costly errors. Gael seized the first set point with a service winner for 6-4 in 45 minutes. Struff saved a break point in the first game of the seconds set. However, he struggled on serve at 1-1.
Monfils converted the third break chance with a forehand attack, moving a set and a break in front. Gael served well in games four, six and eight, moving 5-3 in front and closer to the finish line after a backhand down the line winner at 4-3.
Gael Monfils, Indian Wells 2025© Stream screenshot
Jan-Lennard served to stay in the match in game nine and held at love to prolong the battle. He made one last push on the return in game ten and drew the rival’s mistake for a break chance. Gael saved it with a forehand down the line winner.
The veteran created a match point and welcomed the rival’s forehand error to seal the deal and move into the second round. Who is Monfils’ nest rival? The 24th seed Sebastian Korda.
Tennis World USA