Roger Federer Vs. Gael Monfils: The Match To Watch At French Open 2015
The 2015 French Open is in full swing, nearing the end of its first week. Sunday brings us a match up of Roger Federer against Gael Monfils, and there’s plenty of reasons to be excited about it.
What about the battle between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal that looks likely to be coming, if all goes according to seed, in the quarterfinals? Or the possibility of a clash with top seeds, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishokori, Tomas Berdych, or Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in the same side of the draw as Federer and Monfils? What makes this so special?
Any of those other matches are sure to be good but a fight between, arguably, the best tennis player ever to step on a court in Federer and a highly gifted athlete who’s also a born entertainer in Monfils is going to be something you won’t want to miss.
Roger Federer has come out strong from his opening match. He’s not been in trouble and he hasn’t dropped a set. He’s been smooth and steady — classic Federer.
RECAP: @rogerfederer swept past #Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzogovina 6-4 6-3 6-2 to reach the #RG15 R16. Watch: https://t.co/SKcnO3Wz56
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2015
Whereas Monfils has come to dig into the dirt, same as he usually does. In the three rounds that have been played, he’s already had to come back from 2-1 sets down and go the full five sets to finish the match. But five setters seem to have become his trademark, especially in the red clay of Paris. In the 10 years he’s played at Roland Garros, he’s had to go the full distance 13 times.
Federer will have his 34th birthday in August, and though he shows no signs of slowing down or nearing retirement, he’s got to be happy with the draw he got for this year’s French Open. Because Nadal’s ranking slid to 7 and he’s seeded 6 at the French — Djokovic, Murray, and Nadal are on the other side of the draw from the second-seeded Federer. Though it won’t be easy getting past Monfils or potentially his countryman Wawrinka or even the match after that, this is his best chance to win another French since his last win in 2009.
Monfils’ best showing was the 2008 French Open when he made it to the semis before, coincidentally enough, losing to Roger Federer, and last year he made it to the quarterfinals. But if shots like those in the highlights video below are any indication, he might be poised to get deeper into the tournament this year.
Pretty awesome shots from Monfils in the highlights from his match today. https://t.co/rYelUujcNT via @YouTube
— Alanna Vopni (@LannieLeigh) May 30, 2015
Any way you look at it, this match will be an entertaining one.
[Image by Elsa/Getty Images Sport]
