Monfils-Báez’s dramatic finish at Roland Garros: in one match the Frenchman avoided a perfect Tuesday for Argentina

It was a show that finished after midnight in Paris. It was a show he had absolutely everything but the one who was left with the drama. It was a game that obviously had a winner and a loser. We’ll have to start with the last one. For the defeated Per cui started with all the anger together for having had a 4-0 lead in the fifth set but which he could not take advantage of. Because he turned out to be the one who left Philippe Chatrier with his head bowed, immersed in capital impotence Sebastian Baez. The Argentine failed to maintain his unbeaten run in national tennis on a Tuesday of emotions and was definitely eliminated much sooner than he himself would have imagined.

On the other side was the huge smile, the absolute happiness of the winner. The French Gaël Monfils he did everything to win and hit the jackpot. But above all, he marveled at his resilience at 36. Who today is submerged in the depths of the world ranking, almost on the verge of dropping out of the top 400 and very far from those years of top ten and central figure of the circuit – for fun and for charisma – he gave himself one of the great taste of his career and in front of his people he imposed himself for 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6 and 7-5 in a battle he went through three hours and 47 minutes of gameplay.

Monfils is a character within the circuit. A player who has a unique magnetism. And that at Roland Garros he has power like few others. The French love him because he keeps giving away a unique game in which there is a lot of dedication. Sometimes he sins to exaggerate some physical discomfort (something like this happened this Tuesday when he seemed to collapse before the two match points he had and both points were played as if he were fresh as a salad) but his talent forgives everything.

Era best game so far at Roland Garros 2023. Monfils and Báez loved the famous Grand Slam night sessions and delivered an exciting match, with a stadium dedicated to their idol, vibrant with the constant physical and emotional ups and downs of a magician like Monfils who ended up with a rival of one opposite style that makes solidity its greatest strength.

The ‘Pantera’ arrived with little pace, far from his level and the rival was very demanding. But no one doubted that he would give everything and do the impossible to compete at the highest level. In the first set it was Argentina is much better for his strength, also taking advantage of the weak start of a slow and passive Monfils. What happened in the second anticipated the script of what would happen next. It was the beginning of a movie hollywood because the winner has raised the level, he has begun to enjoy himself and to find those sensations that make him a unique player.

He got a little more on the court, he was aggressive and consistent. It all came full steam ahead in an unforgettable third set where the finish was the best summation of Monfils’ career. In that period he played his best tennis. That effort took his toll in the fourth set which Báez dominated from start to finish. And he continued on the same path until 4-0. Nerves took him. Monfils smelled blood and went for the prey. Only he knew that he would never leave that stage which is a temple of tennis. He brought out the best in his repertoire, proved once again that he is a giant player and turned him around to provoke the unanimous outburst of the people singing the Marseillaise, the French national anthem.

The victory made the tournament the Grand Slam with the most matches (21) settled in five sets in the first round. He surpassed the 20 at Wimbledon 1984, Flushing Meadows 1991 and Roland Garros 1992. But only one of those 21 will remain in everyone’s memory. And from Monfils and Báez, above all.