Gael Monfils is enjoying a great season at 38! The veteran has been collecting age milestones throughout 2025, with the recent coming at the Miami Masters. Gael secured two victories and booked his place in the third round.
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Monfils ousted Fabian Marozsan in the first round for a winning start. The veteran faced the 26th seed Jiri Lehecka in the second round and saved a match point in a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 victory in two hours and sixminutes.
Thus, Gael became the second-oldest player with two wins at a single Masters 1000 event. Ivo Karlovic achieved that in Indian Wells six years ago at 40, and Monfils now stands second on that list. TheFrenchman is alsothe second-oldest player in the Miami Open third round after Jimmy Connors in 1992.
Monfils made a furious start and outplayed the young Czech in the first set. Lehecka responded with a single break in the second set, and they stayed neck and neck until the deciding tie break. Gael squandered three match points before facing one at 7-8.
The veteran saved it and clinched the breaker 10-8 to emerge at the top and earn age milestones. Monfils clinched ten points more than his opponent. He dominated with his first serve and denied four of five break points.
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Lehecka lost serve two times in the opener and served well after that. However, he missed his chance in the decisive moments and ended his campaign in the second round. The 38-year-old tamed his strokes superbly against an aggressive rival.
Gael landed 32 direct points and 22 unforced errors, outplaying Jiri's 38-48 ratio. Monfils forged a 34-25 buffer in service winners and took charge from the baseline, overpoweringthe young gun 54-34! Lehecka responded strongly at the net, taking 25 points, 20 more than his opponent.
Monfils dominated the shortest exchanges up to four strokes, earning the victory in that segment. The veteran performed at his best in the opening set and clinched it in 24 minutes! Gael defended two break points in the first game of the duel and gained confidence.
He passed his rival with a backhand down the line winner in the second game and secured another break two games later after a terrible smash from his rival. Monfils served for the opener at 5-1 and held at 30 to bring the first part of the duel home in style.
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Jiri denied two break points in the second game of the second set. He welcomed the veteran's backhand error in the fourth game for his only break and a 3-1 advantage. The Czech played against two break points in the seventh game, saving them and landing a volley winner for 5-2.
Lehecka served for the set at 5-3 and placed a volley winner at the net, leveling the overall score after 61 minutes and forcing a decider. Monfils faced the exit door in the seventh game after offering his rival two break points.
Jiri attacked on the first and played twoterrible volleys that would cost him dearly! The set went into a tie break, and they traded early mini-breaks. Gael moved 4-2 up before Jiri pulled the mini-break back in the ninth point with a potent attack.
The Czech faced two match points at 4-6 and denied them. Lehecka saved another match point at 6-7 with an attack and a smash winner at the net. The young gun provided another volley winner in the 15th point, moving 8-7 up and generating a match point.
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Gael stayed composed and saved it with a service winner. He hit another for the fourth match point and seized it with a backhand winner, passing his rival and moving into the third round.
