Gael Monfils marked his 40th birthday in unforgettable fashion at the US Open, battling back from a slow start to defeat Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 and move into the second round. The victory was particularly special as it came during what is his final US Open appearance. Monfils’ energetic tennis soon had the Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd fully behind him, with the Frenchman producing the kind of spectacular shots that have made him such a fan favourite.
The celebrations continued after the match when the crowd broke into an impromptu rendition of “Happy Birthday” for Monfils, with his wife Elina Svitolina joining in. Reflecting on the occasion, he told the fans, “That was definitely very special. To play the day of my 40th birthday is special. You guys made it, like, incredible.” The moment added an emotional touch to a memorable night, while his victory also made him the oldest man to win a US Open singles match since Jimmy Connors did so at the same age in 1992. As Monfils himself put it during his on-court interview, “You guys always make it electric, amazing. Let’s keep it going for the second one.”
Gael Monfils matches Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic with remarkable Grand Slam milestone
Another stunning accomplishment has been etched into the long legacy of Gael Monfils, as he now becomes the first man alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to attain an incredible Grand Slam feat. A Grand Slam match winner in 22 consecutive seasons, Monfils surpassed Jimmy Connors to stand alongside Federer and Djokovic. The trend began back in 2005 and has remained unbroken through periods of injury, grueling seasons and numerous changes throughout his career. That this feat has been made even more impressive is that, compared to Federer and Djokovic, it came all without a single Grand Slam singles title to the Frenchman.
This latest success came in an extra-special fashion during the 2026 US Open, overcoming Adolfo Daniel Vallejo to maintain his record with Monfils marking his 40th birthday earlier this week. Monfils was thoroughly out-hit during the first set however staged a monumental comeback to see the victory in five sets; 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-0.
This win also sees him become the oldest male in nearly 35 years to win a Grand Slam singles match at the US Open, beating Jimmy Connors when he achieved this feat aged 40 in 1992. While it has been a rare journey of only 2 Grand Slam semi-final appearances (2008 French Open and 2016 US Open) and 2 quarter finals at the Australian Open throughout four different major tournaments, Monfils once again gives the tennis public an exceptional reason to admire his lasting endurance
