Australian Open: Power Couple Monfils, Svitolina, Pull Off A Pair Of Big Upsets

Elina Svitolina, Australian Open
Elina Svitolina (photo: Australian Open TV/YouTube)

MELBOURNE/WASHINGTON, January 18, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

They are the power couple of tennis – France’s Gaël Monfils and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine – married for nearly four years, and parents of a daughter, Skaï, who turns three in May. While both travel the world – often separately – competing on their respective pro tours, it’s the four Grand Slams that bring them together, and where they often play their best tennis while being each other’s best supporters.

On Saturday afternoon in Melbourne, the 41st-ranked Monfils stunned World No. 4 and fourth seed Taylor Fritz of the United States, rallying from a set down to win 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 6-4 in three hours and eight minutes on Margaret Court Arena. It was the 38-year-old Frenchman’s first Top 5 win at a major since 2008 and a big letdown for Fritz, who was a finalist at the most recent major, the US Open, last September.

Later, on the same court, Svitolina also pulled off a big upset. She defeated World No. 4 and fourth seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy, coming from behind to win 2-6, 6-4, 6-0 in an hour and 46 minutes Saturday evening. Svitolina blasted 13 of her 34 winners in the decider and won with a solid backhand winner.

Monfils, who arrived in Australia fresh off a title run in Auckland, has won eight straight matches and nine of his first 10 to start the new season, his 22nd on the ATP Tour. Against Fritz, he fired 24 aces – twice as many as his opponent – and struck 58 winners overall. Monfils outpointed Fritz 133-118.

“As I always say, I keep playing for these matches,” Monfils said afterward. “A big player, big stadium, good crowd, good energy. When you’re 38 years old, [that’s] what I want. I had it. I was very fortunate to win it. It’s exactly why I’m playing.”

Next, Monfils will face 22-year-old Ben Shelton. The 21st seed from the United States defeated No. 16 seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5), in two hours and 52 minutes on John Cain Arena. Shelton overcame 56 unforced errors by striking 38 winners, including 11 aces, en route to his first Top 20 win of 2025.

Meanwhile, Svitolina, who is making her 12th appearance at the Australian Open and where she’s twice reached the quarterfinals, is no stranger to competing in Grand Slams. This year’s AO is her 44th Grand Slam main draw. She’s reached at least the quarterfinal stage at all of the majors. Svitolina followed in her husband’s footsteps to reach the second week at Melbourne for the fifth time with her triumph over Paolini, who was a finalist last year at both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon and had won both of her previous matches in Melbourne in straight sets.

Afterward, during her on-court interview with Andrea Petkovic, Svitolina said: “I want to say I got inspired after my husband’s win. But I played so bad the first set, I’m not sure I was inspired!”

Svitolina credited her fighting spirit for allowing her to make a comeback against Paolini. It’s part of her Ukrainian heritage, she admits, fighting for her country that has been at war following Russia’s invasion in 2022. “I wouldn’t be so proud if I were to finish the match that way, so I was trying to put a lot of fight there and stay as long as I can,” she said.

Later, during her post-match news conference, Svitolina spoke of how proud she was of Monfils and herself after their twin triumphs in Melbourne Saturday.

“We both were a set down, both against really tough opponents. … I’m proud that we didn’t give up, that we believed in our game, believed that we could win,” she said.

After struggling with a variety of injuries last year, which forced her to retire from her fourth-round match in Melbourne due to a bad back, Svitolina will attempt to reach her third AO quarterfinal – and first since 2019 – when she faces Veronika Kudermetova for the first time in the fourth round on Monday. The 75th-ranked Russian eliminated No. 15 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, 6-4, 6-2 to advance.

Sinner becomes third Italian to reach fourth round four times

Defending AO champion and current World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, one of three Italian men in action Saturday, booked his ticket for the second week in Melbourne with his straight-set win over Marcos Giron of the United States on Rod Laver Arena. The top-seeded South Tyrolean defeated the 46th-ranked American 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, in two hours and one minute by hitting 35 winners and winning 44 percent of his receiving points. He offered no letup in his baseline attack and it worked. Sinner outpointed Giron 95-70.

Now, Sinner is through to the round of 16 for the fourth time, which equals the record for most AO round of 16 appearances by an Italian man, jointly held by Fabio Fognini and Andreas Seppi.

“I am very happy to be in the next round,” Sinner said during his on-court interview. “Every match has its own difficulties. Today I felt like he was very solid from the back of the court when he served well. I still have room to improve, but every win is great, especially in these conditions. As always, thank you so much for your support, it’s amazing to play night sessions here.

“Today the percentage of my net game was not really good, but I try to improve, it’s part of the game. Sometimes I feel things a little bit better, sometimes worse, that’s normal. Trying to stay there mentally is the most important aspect. Hopefully in the next round I am able to raise my level, but I’m still very happy.”

Next, Sinner will face No. 13 seed Holger Rune of Denmark, who was pushed to five sets by No. 51 Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia before rallying to win, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, in three hours and 27 minutes behind 83 winners to 45 for the Serbian.

“I have no idea [how I won], I could not have done it without the fantastic crowd,” Rune said afterward in his on-court interview. “I was feeling super exhausted but you guys lifted me up, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“I was so tired so I needed to find a solution. I wasn’t able to run 15 balls side to side, so I had to go for it when I had the chance. Miomir had an amazing match, we played a couple of times before and he is just a big competitor, so credit to him.”

Keys wins all-American battle over Collins

No. 19 seed Madison Keys of the United States won a contentious all-American Top-20 clash over No. 10 seed Danielle Collins, 6-4, 6-4, on Rod Laver Arena Saturday evening to reach the second week of the AO for the sixth time.

The recent Adelaide champion won by playing more aggressively than Collins, as reflected by her hitting twice as many winners, 24-12. Although Collins built a 3-0 lead after dropping the opening set, Key recovered nicely and effectively used her forehand to win six of the last seven games during the one-hour, 23-minute match.

Next, Keys will play World No. 6 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, last year’s finalist, in the fourth round on Monday. Rybakina advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 32 seed Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine in 90 minutes on John Cain Arena.

Around the Australian Open

Saturday’s Australian Open results

Sunday’s Australian Open order of play

By the numbers

Before defeating World No. 15 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy for his first Top-20 victory of season on Saturday, World No. 20 Ben Shelton of the United States was 0-2 against the Italian. Now he’s through to his second Australian Open round of 16 and will play No. 41 Gaël Monfils of France on Monday.

“Quotable …”

• “My dream is to have an unbelievable family. Tennis is cool … But my dream is out there.”

– Gaël Monfils of France, during his post-match news conference after upsetting World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, saying he doesn’t dream any longer of winning Grand Slams.

• “Well, I would say that it comes from all the Ukrainians, you know. We have this fighting spirit … I think in so many different levels, we show the resilience. We are fighting for what is ours. … Fighting spirit is in our blood, and then we just try to do our best every single day.”

– Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, asked during her on-court interview where her resilience comes from, after defeating World No. 4 and fourth seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy to advance to the fourth round.

 

Search

Brigitte Urban
Tennis photographer
camera lens

International Blogs

Dietmar Kaspar

Schwaben Open kehren 2025 in die bayerischen Sommerferien zurück

December 16, 2024

Robert Frank

TCG Charity Cup bringt 13.000 Euro für den guten Zweck

October 16, 2024

Florian Heer

Apostolos Tsitsipas: “Coaching ist etwas Persönliches!”

September 4, 2024

Podcast

Categories